Easy 35 min serves 3

Sauce-Braised Yellow Croaker (酱焖黄花鱼)

Name: Sauce-Braised Yellow Croaker (酱焖黄花鱼)
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: North Chinese Cuisine
Ingredients: yellow croaker (about 350 g each); doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste); ginger, sliced; garlic, smashed; scallion, cut into sections; light soy sauce; cooking wine

酱焖黄花鱼 · jiàng mèn huáng huā yú

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version braises yellow croaker in a gentle soybean-paste sauce, keeping the flesh silky and the bones easy to lift.

Along the Jiaodong coast, yellow croaker is the everyday fish — cheap, sweet, and forgiving in a covered pot.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

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

Quick & Easy

Ingredients

yellow croaker (about 350 g each)黄花鱼（每条约350克）🛒 local700 g
doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)豆瓣酱🏮 asian20 g
ginger, sliced姜（切片）🛒 local12 g
garlic, smashed蒜（拍碎）🛒 local10 g
scallion, cut into sections葱（切段）🛒 local30 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian20 ml
cooking wine料酒🏮 asian15 ml

yellow croaker (about 350 g each): Score the 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 croaker dry; sear skin-side down 2 minutes until set; remove.
煎鱼
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 鱼皮转白、离锅干净。Skin turns opaque and lifts cleanly.
You know it's right when: 轻抬无阻力。No resistance when lifted.
2In the same pan, soften ginger, garlic, and doubanjiang over medium heat.
炒酱
🔍 Look for Medium heat 60 秒 · 60 seconds
Visual: 酱色转深、咸香起。Paste darkens and smells savory.
You know it's right when: 香气圆润、无生酱味。Aroma is rounded, not raw.
3Add soy, cooking wine, and 250 ml water; bring to a simmer.
加水煮开
🔍 Look for Medium heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汤面微沸、浮起红膜。Liquid simmers with a thin red film.
You know it's right when: 气泡稳定泛起。Bubbles form steadily.
4Return fish; cover; braise 12 minutes, basting twice.
焖煮
🔍 Look for Medium-low 12 分钟 · 12 minutes
Visual: 鱼肉转白、汁渐浓。Fish turns opaque and sauce thickens.
You know it's right when: 肉易离骨。Flesh separates from the bone easily.
5Uncover; reduce 2 minutes; scatter scallion and serve.
收汁出锅
🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汁裹鱼身发亮。Sauce glosses the fish.
You know it's right when: 挂汁发亮。Coating shines and clings.

Tips

· A tight lid keeps the fish from drying out.
· Doubanjiang brings salt and depth — go light on extra soy.
· Baste so the top side stays moist.

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

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine