Materials
Steps for making braised croaker
Clean the croaker and drain the water.
Remove the head and tail, and cut the fish into strips half an inch wide.
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Add cooking wine, ginger powder, scallion powder, white pepper powder, and coarse salt. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for 20 minutes.
After marinating, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and mix well. Place in an air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to lightly toast. Adding cooking oil helps to lock in the surface moisture of the fish pieces, preventing them from becoming dry.
This is what it looks like after light grilling. Using an air fryer to lightly grill it instead of traditional pan-frying prevents the skin from breaking and you don't have to worry about it not cooking well. If you want to grill it, you can cook it at 200 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, then sprinkle with barbecue seasoning and eat it directly.
Heat oil in a wok, sauté scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then add star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, first-pressed soy sauce, second-pressed soy sauce, and a little water.
Boil
Place the semi-finished fish pieces (from step 6) into the boiling broth.
Add cooking wine
Add white sugar and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the soup thickens. Then adjust the salt and MSG to taste.
Remove from the pan, plate, and sprinkle with a little chopped green onion.
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This method of cooking fish makes it incredibly delicious and flavorful.
