Home-styleMedium 35 min serves 3

Braised Fish Cubes (红烧鱼块)

Name: Braised Fish Cubes (红烧鱼块)
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Home-style Chinese
Ingredients: firm white fish fillet (cod or catfish), cubed; ginger, sliced; garlic, smashed; scallion, cut into sections; light soy sauce; dark soy sauce; cooking wine; cornstarch

红烧鱼块 · hóng shāo yú kuài

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version cubes a firm white fish, pan-sears it, then braises in a soy-scallion sauce so the edges stay crisp while the inside stays tender.

My grandmother made this on rainy Wuhan evenings. The trick was always the same: dry the cubes, sear hard, and never crowd the pan.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Quick & Easy Seafood

Ingredients

firm white fish fillet (cod or catfish), cubed结实白肉鱼柳（鳕鱼或鲶鱼，切块）🛒 local500 g
ginger, sliced姜（切片）🛒 local15 g
garlic, smashed蒜（拍碎）🛒 local10 g
scallion, cut into sections葱（切段）🛒 local30 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian30 ml
dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian8 ml
cooking wine料酒🏮 asian15 ml
cornstarch玉米淀粉🏮 asian20 g

firm white fish fillet (cod or catfish), cubed: Pat bone-dry before searing.

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Instructions

1Pat fish cubes bone-dry. Toss with cooking wine and cornstarch; rest 10 minutes.
腌鱼上浆
🔍 Look for 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 表面哑光挂浆。Surface looks matte and coated.
You know it's right when: 浆液挂住不滴。Slurry clings without dripping.
2Heat oil over high heat. Sear cubes in a single layer, undisturbed, 90 seconds per side until golden.
煎制定型
🔍 Look for High heat 90 秒 · 90 seconds
Visual: 外壳深金、轻松离锅。Crust turns deep gold; cubes release cleanly.
You know it's right when: 滋啦声转沉变脆。Sizzle steadies and sharpens.
3Push fish aside; add ginger, garlic, and scallion; stir-fry 20 seconds until aromatic.
爆香小料
🔍 Look for High heat 20 秒 · 20 seconds
Visual: 小料滋响转亮。Aromatics sizzle and brighten.
You know it's right when: 香气上扬、未焦。Fragrance rises, not browned.
4Add light soy, dark soy, and 80 ml water; return fish; simmer 6 minutes.
调味焖煮
🔍 Look for Medium-low 6 分钟 · 6 minutes
Visual: 汤汁在鱼块边轻沸。Sauce bubbles gently around cubes.
You know it's right when: 鱼肉整体转白熟透。Fish turns opaque through.
5Raise heat to reduce until sauce glosses the cubes; scatter scallion rings.
收汁出锅
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汤汁收成镜面亮汁。Sauce thickens to a mirror glaze.
You know it's right when: 挂汁发亮、紧贴。Coating shines and clings.

Tips

· Dry the fish thoroughly or the crust will steam off.
· Sear in batches rather than crowding the pan.
· Dark soy is only for color — a teaspoon is enough.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide