Yangshuo-Style Beer Fish

Gut the fish and keep the scales; wash it and split it in half from the belly, leaving the back joined. Marinate with 15 ml cooking wine, the ginger slices and 3 g salt for 15 minutes.

Cut the tomatoes, green and red peppers into pieces, smash the garlic, and cut the scallions into sections, keeping whites and greens apart.

Rub the bottom of the pan with a ginger slice, heat 30 ml oil, and put the fish in skin side down. Fry both sides until golden and the scales are crisp, then take it out.

Leave the oil in the pan and fry the scallion whites, ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add 15 g Guilin chili sauce and stir until the oil turns red.

Add the tomatoes and stir-fry until they release juice and soften, then pour in the whole bottle of beer and add 15 ml light soy sauce, 5 ml dark soy sauce, 5 g sugar and 5 g salt. Stir well.

Put the fish back, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes.

Uncover, add the green and red peppers and cook another 3–5 minutes. Check that the fish is cooked through (63°C, opaque and flaking).

Turn to high heat to thicken the sauce a little, leaving some for rice or noodles, sprinkle with the scallion greens and serve.