Oil-capped Fish

1) Scale and draw fish. Chop off fins. Wash it clean.

Take off leaves of scallion and skin of ginger root. (These will be used for boiling fish.) Cut scal-lion-white and skinned ginger into fine slivers.

Wash parsley and pick tender leaves for use.

2) Mix in a small pot: soya sauce, cooking wine (1 tablespoon), pepper, salt (1/4 teaspoon), gourmet powder and sugar. Bring this to a boil, to be used later.

3) Put boiling water in a pot, add scallion leaves, ginger skin, salt (1/4 teaspoon), cooking wine (1 tablespoon) and pepper. Place fish in. Bring to a boil on high heat and, changing to low fire, keep it gently boiling for 15 minutes. Remove and drain fish. Place it on serving plate. Sprinkle on scallion and ginger slivers and pour on sauce (as prepared in step 2).

Heat sesame oil in a fry pan till it smokes. Pour oil over scallion and ginger slivers on fish. Sprinkle on parsley leaves and serve.

Notes:

(1) Various kinds of fresh fish may be used instead of bighead.

(2) The fish may also be steamed instead of boiled. That is, put it in a vessel, sprinkle on scallion leaves, ginger skin, salt, pepper and cooking wine. Steam it under cover till done. Then slip it over to serving plate. Sprinkle on scallion and ginger slivers and pour on heated sesame oil.