The fish head with chopped pepper in authentic Hunan cuisine is very popular among diners for its delicious, mellow and unforgettable taste.

Cooking this classic dish may seem complicated, but in fact, if you follow the following three points, you can easily make a delicious fish head with chopped peppers that doesn’t even leave any soup.

1. Fish selection is very important. The choice of fish head determines the success or failure of chopped pepper fish head.

The first choice is yellow fish or black fish. This type of fish has tender meat, no spines, and a large head with lots of meat.

The optimal size of the fish head is about 3 pounds. If it is too big, it will not be easy to taste, and if it is too small, there will be less meat and it will be unsatisfactory.

2. Chopped pepper is the soul. Making chopped pepper is the key to this dish.

Remove the stems of fresh red pepper and chop into small pieces, then add minced ginger, minced garlic and salt to marinate until it ferments to produce a sour taste.

The amount of chopped pepper does not need to be too much, about 1/3 of the fish head is enough.

There are also ready-made chopped peppers available in the market, but it is recommended to make your own for a more authentic taste.

3. Heat and seasoning Fish head with chopped peppers has very high requirements on heat.

Heat oil in a pan, add chopped pepper and stir-fry until red oil emerges, add fish head and fry until both sides are golden brown.

At this time, pour an appropriate amount of water or stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to medium heat and simmer.

During the stewing process, add ginger, garlic, bean paste, soy sauce, sugar and other seasonings. When the fish head meat is cooked and the soup thickens, take it out of the pot.

Detailed explanation of the specific steps: Step 1: Fish head processing: Cut the fish head open, remove the gills and internal organs, wash and drain the water.

Step 2: Marinate the fish head. Spread salt and cooking wine on the fish head and marinate for about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Make chopped peppers. Remove the stems of fresh red peppers and chop them into small pieces. Add minced ginger, minced garlic and salt to marinate.

Step 4: Fry the fish head in a hot pan with oil, add the fish head and fry until both sides are golden brown.

Step 5: Stir-fry the chopped peppers. Take another pot, add the chopped peppers and stir-fry until red oil emerges.

Step 6: Stew. Put the fried fish head into the pepper pot, add an appropriate amount of water or stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to medium heat and simmer slowly.

Step 7: Seasoning When the fish head meat is cooked and the soup thickens, add ginger, garlic, bean paste, soy sauce, sugar and other seasonings, and stir evenly.

Step 8: Remove from the pot and simmer until the soup is thick, then remove from the pot and serve on a plate.

Tip: Adding beer when stewing can make the fish more tender.

The fish head with chopped pepper can be eaten with rice or steamed buns for a more mellow taste.

The acidity of the chopped pepper can be adjusted according to personal taste.