Sea bream in tomato sauce – Qie Zhi Yu Pian

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 sea bream fillets, total 600 g, frozen
• 1 tbsp, leveled corn flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp rice wine, golden yellow
• 100 g basmati rice
• 200 g water
• 6 g broth powder (mushroom bouillon, granules)
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 1 pinch(s) chicken stock powder
• 1 tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp rice wine, golden yellow
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, light
• 40 g onion(s), red
• 10 g garlic clove(s), fresh
• 15 g fresh ginger
• 80 g bell pepper(s), red
• 70 g bell pepper(s), green
• 1 m.-large spring onion(s)
• 1 Pepper, red, long, mild
• 200 g tomatoes
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, light
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp, levelled sugar, fine, white
• 1 tsp rice vinegar, clearer, mild
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp, leveled tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp rice wine, golden yellow
• e.g. salt and pepper
• 1 ½ liters of frying oil
• 80 g honeydew melon(s)
• 3 tbsp sesame oil, light
• n. B. flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

A famous dish from eastern China. Served here with flower rice.

Thaw the sea bream fillets, dry thoroughly, and cut into pieces approximately 4 x 2 cm in size. Dissolve the cornflour and salt in the rice wine. Marinate the sea bream pieces and set aside. For the flower rice, wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Drain well and add to the cooking water. Bring to a boil, stir in the mushroom stock, and simmer with the lid on for 12 minutes over moderate heat. Crack the egg and stir in the chicken stock. Dissolve the tapioca flour in the rice wine and mix into the egg mixture. Fry with the sesame oil to make an omelet without any brown spots. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into small cubes. Mix the cubes into the cooked rice and cover to keep warm. For the vegetables, peel the onions, garlic cloves, and ginger. Halve larger onions lengthwise, cut the garlic cloves into thirds lengthwise, and thinly slice the ginger across the grain. Cut the cleaned and washed bell peppers into approximately 2 x 3 cm pieces. Cut the washed spring onions crosswise into 2 cm long pieces. Keep the green and white parts separate. Cut off the stem of the washed bell pepper, cut open on one side, and remove the pink membranes and all seeds. Slice crosswise from the top into thin strands. Quarter the washed tomatoes lengthwise, removing the seeds and white-green parts. Halve the quarters lengthwise and crosswise. Place in a blender with water, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar and puree until smooth. Place in a saucepan with the tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Dissolve the tapioca flour in the rice wine and mix into the tomato mixture. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Heat the frying oil to 180 degrees Celsius. Strain the sea bream pieces and fry in two batches until light yellow. Keep the pieces warm. Cut two segments from the honeydew melon, each approximately 3 cm wide. Remove the rind down to the yellow flesh. Cut the flesh into approximately 1 cm pieces. Heat the sesame oil in a wok until fragrant. Add the onions, garlic cloves, and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and the white parts of the spring onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the sauce. Add the green spring onions and simmer briefly. Then add the sea bream pieces; do not overmix! Cover and heat for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Add the melon pieces and fold them into the vegetables along with the sea bream pieces. Immediately divide among the serving dishes, add the flower rice, garnish as desired, serve, and enjoy. Serve with a medium-dry white wine or a cold beer.