Good-Luck Fish Head Recipe (Kaimentou Yutou, 开门红鱼头)

Adapted from

Sichuan (China) Cuisine in Both Chinese and English,

published in China in 2010 by the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine and the Sichuan Gourmet Association.

Author: Taylor Holliday | The Mala Market | Cooking Sichuan in America

One 2- pound fish head (or whole fish such as red snapper, cleaned, with head)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon MSG
¼ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or other liaojiu (rice cooking wine)
2 teaspoons Chinese light soy sauce (Zhongba preferred)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
½ cup green chili peppers, thinly sliced (4 or 5 jalapeños or serranos)
½ cup red chili peppers, thinly sliced (4 or 5 Fresnos, red jalapeños or Korean red peppers)
3 fresh scallions, cut into sections
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, thinly sliced

Mix salt, white pepper, MSG, Sichuan pepper, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and peanut oil to make a sauce.
Rinse and dry the fish head and place in a bowl that will fit in your steamer. (If using a whole fish, place some of the ginger and scallions inside the fish.) Pour the sauce mixture over the fish head (and inside any crevices) and sprinkle the green and red chili peppers, scallions and ginger over it.
Bring water to a boil in a steamer. Carefully place the bowl on the steamer rack, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes, until fish is just done and flaky. Carefully remove the hot bowl and pour off most of the liquid. Serve the fish head along with its crown of chili peppers.