• 2 lb oily fish - mackerel is perfect
  • 4 napa cabbage leaves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 scallions
  • 1/2 cup good quality dry white wine
  • 2 cubes hard bean curd
  • 3 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp cooked salad oil
  • 1/2 tsp ginger root, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

To make Wined fish chunks in broth we will start off by marinating the fish. First, clean fish and discard head and fins. Wash and cut across fish in 1 1/2″ sections. Mix salt and white wine in a bowl. Add fish chunks, rub with marinade, cover bowl and refrigerate for 6 hours.

After 2 hours, turn fish to mix with marinade.

Preparation

Wash the cabbage; slice leaves down middle, then in 2″ sections. Rinse the bean curd and cut into 1″ cubes. Wash, trim and shred the scallions, greens and all. Peel and mince ginger. Heat salad oil to the point of smoking. Remove from heat and reserve.

Cooking

Rinse the fish chunks and drain. Heat chicken stock, beancurd, ginger and salt in a saucepan. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for 10 minutes. When you are ready to add the fish and cabbage, turn up heat to boiling point. Add the fish and cabbage when liquid boils, cover pan.

Both fish and cabbage are cooked in roughly 3 to 5 minutes – cabbage leaves will be bright lime green. Ladle fish, cabbage and beancurd into warm shallow serving bowls and add Soup.

Finally, garnish with cooked oil, minced scallion and pepper. Wined fish chunks in broth is an ideal starter to any Chinese meal.