Best for: The whole-fish centerpiece with a chile-oil sizzle.
Kao yu is the Chongqing restaurant phenomenon: a whole fish grilled until the skin crisps, then set in a shallow pan of sizzling chile oil with vegetables and carried to the table still bubbling. Restaurants use a dedicated grill-and-braise pan; this honest home adaptation crisps the fish on the grill and finishes it in a wide cast-iron skillet, where the oil, doubanjiang, and vegetables do the same work.
Grill: Direct medium-high heat; 425°F, in a fish basket or on an oiled grate; plus a wide cast-iron skillet. Equipment: Grill, fish basket, 12-inch cast-iron skillet, tongs, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
Rest: 5 minutes. Total: 50 minutes.
Fish and marinade
- 1 whole fish (about 2 lb — sea bass, branzino, or trout), cleaned, scaled, and butterflied or split along the belly
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 teaspoon fine table salt
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
Chile oil finish and vegetables
- 3 tablespoons chile bean paste (doubanjiang)
- 8–10 dried Chinese red chiles
- 1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1 small lotus root or potato, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup water or unsalted stock
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions
Rub the fish inside and out with the Shaoxing wine, salt, and ginger and let it sit while the grill heats to 425°F. Pat the skin dry and brush with 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil.
Grill the fish in a basket or on the well-oiled grate, skin side down first, for 8–10 minutes per side, until the skin is crisp and the flesh flakes and registers 145°F.
While the fish grills, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the cast-iron skillet on the grill. Fry the chile bean paste, dried chiles, and Sichuan peppercorns for 1 minute, until the oil is deep red.
Add the garlic, celery, bean sprouts, and the lotus root or potato, if using, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the water or stock and the sugar and bring to a boil.
Set the grilled fish into the skillet on top of the vegetables, spoon the chile oil over it, and simmer for 4–5 minutes so the flavors marry and the pan sizzles.
Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with the cilantro and scallions, and serve in the skillet with rice — the oil at the bottom is the best part.
Grilling tip: Dry skin is the difference between crisp and stuck — pat the fish twice and oil the hot grate, not just the fish.
