Browse All Recipes

Chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot

Recipe for Chinese-style chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot.

By Alice Storey
  • 25 mins preparation
  • 15 mins cooking
  • Serves 4
  • Print
    Print
Chilli and tomato beer fish with fried garlic and shallot
This recipe is inspired by a traditional Chinese beer fish recipe. We've added fried garlic and shallots, and a good squeeze of lime for extra zing.

Ingredients

  • 50 ml vegetable oil
  • 500 gm skinless ocean trout fillet, pin-boned, cut into 2.5cm pieces
  • 15 gm piece ginger, cut into julienne
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp Chinese roasted chilli paste (see note)
  • 300 gm cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 180 ml lager, such as Tsingtao
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
  • To serve: steamed Asian greens and steamed rice
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 120 gm (1½ cups) bean sprouts, trimmed
Fried garlic and shallots
  • For deep-frying: vegetable oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 6 red shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Method

Main
  • 1
    For fried shallots and garlic, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat to 180C. Add garlic in batches (don’t overcrowd the oil) and stir until golden and crisp (1-2 minutes; careful, hot oil may spit). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and repeat with shallots. Set aside until required.
  • 2
    Heat half the oil in a large wok over high heat until very hot and stir-fry fish, turning occasionally, until golden (1-2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard oil, wipe wok clean and heat remaining oil over high heat until very hot. Add ginger, garlic and chilli, and stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute). Stir in chilli paste, then add tomatoes and stir-fry until starting to break down (2-3 minutes). Add beer, soy sauce and vinegar, bring to the simmer, season to taste, then return fish to pan and stir to heat through (1-2 minutes). Serve hot with steamed greens and rice, and scattered with spring onions, bean sprouts, and fried garlic and shallots.

Notes

Note Chinese roasted chilli paste, a mixture of roasted chilli flakes and garlic in oil, is available from select Asian grocers.