SichuanMedium 40 min serves 2

Dry-Braised Crucian Carp (干烧鲫鱼)

Name: Dry-Braised Crucian Carp (干烧鲫鱼)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan Cuisine
Ingredients: crucian carp (about 300 g each); minced pork; doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste); ginger, minced; garlic, minced; dried red chilies, halved; scallion, minced; cooking wine

干烧鲫鱼 · gān shāo jī yú

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version simmers crucian with minced pork and pickled chilies until the sauce nearly disappears into a sticky red glaze.

Dry-braised (gan shao) is Sichuan's answer to a sauce that refuses to quit — it clings, it glows, it lingers on the plate.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

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

More pork recipes →Spicy

Ingredients

crucian carp (about 300 g each)鲫鱼（每条约300克）🛒 local600 g
minced pork猪肉末🛒 local80 g
doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)豆瓣酱🏮 asian25 g
ginger, minced姜（剁末）🛒 local10 g
garlic, minced蒜（剁末）🛒 local8 g
dried red chilies, halved干红辣椒（剪段）🏮 asian8 g
scallion, minced葱（剁末）🛒 local15 g
cooking wine料酒🏮 asian15 ml

crucian carp (about 300 g each): Score both sides.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Pat carp dry; sear in hot oil 2 minutes per side until skin sets; remove.
煎鱼
🔍 Look for High heat 4 分钟 · 4 minutes
Visual: 鱼皮转白、离锅利落。Skin turns opaque and releases cleanly.
You know it's right when: 轻抬不粘。No sticking when lifted.
2In the same oil, fry doubanjiang, chilies, ginger, and garlic until the oil reddens.
炒红油
🔍 Look for Medium-high 90 秒 · 90 seconds
Visual: 油色深红、香气扑鼻。Oil turns deep red and fragrant.
You know it's right when: 香气咸鲜带酵、未焦。Aroma is savory and slightly funky, not burnt.
3Add minced pork; stir-fry until it loses pink and crisps at the edges.
炒肉末
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 肉粒散开转金。Pork grains separate and turn golden.
You know it's right when: 无结块。No clumps remain.
4Return fish; add cooking wine and 200 ml water; simmer 12 minutes, turning once.
烧制
🔍 Look for Medium-low 12 分钟 · 12 minutes
Visual: 汤汁收浓裹鱼。Sauce reduces and thickens around the fish.
You know it's right when: 脊骨处肉易离。Fish flakes at the spine.
5Raise heat to dry the sauce to a sticky glaze; shower with scallion and serve.
收干亮芡
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汁如红漆般挂住。Sauce clings as a red lacquer.
You know it's right when: 锅见干而亮。Pan looks nearly dry but glossy.

Tips

· Dry-braised means almost no sauce left — keep reducing.
· Doubanjiang is salty; taste before adding salt.
· Turn the fish gently with two spatulas to avoid breaking it.

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

It's too spicy. How do I tone it down?

Add a dairy element (a swirl of yogurt, milk, or a spoon of peanut butter) — dairy fat binds the capsaicin. Sugar or honey also helps balance heat. For next time: remove chili seeds (they hold most heat) or halve the dried chilies and add chili oil at the table instead.

Source: HǎoWèi flavor guide

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