Spicy and Fragrant Double-Flavor Grilled Fish

"On the left is the non-spicy seafood sauce section: the aroma of freshness hits your nose as soon as it's served. The fish is soaked in the sweet fragrance of seafood sauce, so tender it trembles when you pick it up with chopsticks. My child immediately started gnawing on the fish belly, even chewing the lotus root slices soaked in the sauce with a satisfying crunch, exclaiming, 'Mom, this is even better than what you get at restaurants!'—the seafood sauce gives the vegetables a subtle sweetness, light yet not bland at all. My child even ate rice faster than usual. On the right is our spicy dry pot section: the aroma of the dry pot ingredients fills the kitchen as soon as the sauce is poured on. The fish skin is grilled until slightly crispy, bursting with juice with every bite when coated in spicy oil. Even the celery stalks are infused with the spicy fragrance, becoming more flavorful the longer they cook. In the end, even the last bit of sauce at the bottom of the pot..." It had to be poured over rice and polished clean. The moment this pot of fish was served, the kids on the left exclaimed, "Mmm, this is so tender!" while we on the right were shouting, "Wow, this is so spicy and delicious!" The divider clearly separated the flavors; some were tender, some were fragrant. Even the usually picky kid devoured the lotus root slices. We used a special grill pan for fish that can be heated directly. It bubbled and steamed as soon as the flame was turned on, making it incredibly satisfying to eat and cook at the same time—the kids on the left were plucking at the tender, seafood-flavored fish, while we on the right were enjoying the juicy, spicy pieces of fish, taking a sip of wine, the spicy aroma mingling with the wine's fragrance, enveloped in the warmth—it was so addictive! If you don't have this special pan, a small alcohol stove with a regular grill pan works just as well, filling the air with a smoky, hearty atmosphere. Life is just too good!

Ingredients

One fish, approximately 2500 grams
100g celery
200g onion
Approximately 20 grams of ginger
3 cloves of garlic
Coriander
Fried peanuts (as needed) (optional)
60g Spicy Dry Pot Sauce (You can also use 50 grams of hot pot base, but I prefer dry pot sauce.)
15g soy sauce
5 grams of sugar
20g oyster sauce
60g seafood sauce
20g soy sauce
25g oyster sauce
5 grams of sugar
2 star anise (boiling water)
Two bay leaves (boiling water)
60g celery (boiling water)
10 grams of salt (boiling water)
50g onion (boiling water)
About 20 peppercorns (boiling water)
500g water (boiling water)
30g scallions (hand-rub)
Half a stalk of green onion (optional) (hand-rub)
6 slices of ginger (hand-rub)
10 grams of salt (hand-rub)
50ml water (hand-rub)
20g cooking wine (Used when marinating fish)
1 teaspoon white pepper (Used when marinating fish)

Steps

Choose a fish weighing 2-3 pounds (too small and there's no meat, too big and it won't cook through). Let the fish open directly. If you want to make two flavors, cut it in half.
Preparing the water-based deodorizing seasoning: (If you have other methods for removing fishy smells (or the fish isn't fishy), you can skip steps two, three, and four.) Add celery stalks, onion chunks, some Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, and 10 grams of salt to 500 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool. (The aroma of the spices and vegetables will infuse the water; when mixed with the hand-rubbed seasoning, it will provide a double boost of deodorizing and flavor enhancement!)
Next, wash and chop the scallion segments and ginger slices (the ingredients for removing fishy smells by hand), put them in a bowl, add 50ml of cooled boiled water, and rub vigorously until the flavors are released (purpose: use the aroma of the scallions and ginger themselves to "rub out" the fishy smell, which is more effective than soaking directly).
Marinating the fish (optional, use your preferred marinating method): First, let the prepared spice brine for removing fishy smell completely cool. Also, let the hand-rubbed scallion and ginger mixture cool to room temperature (to prevent the aroma from evaporating due to temperature changes and to prevent the fish from spoiling). Next, pour the cooled hand-rubbed scallion and ginger mixture (including the extract in the bowl) into the cooled spice brine and stir thoroughly to create a "double-layered marinade." Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours. In hot weather, be sure to refrigerate (to prevent bacterial growth at room temperature). During this time, turn the fish over after about 1 hour of marinating. After turning, scoop some of the marinade from the bowl and pour it over the fish, ensuring both sides are evenly coated for better flavor.
Grilled Fish: Remove the scallions and ginger from the marinated fish. Line the bottom of a baking pan with a layer of onions, place the fish on top, and spray the surface with a little oil (purpose: the onions enhance the aroma and prevent the fish skin from sticking to the pan; the oil makes the skin more crispy and fragrant after baking). Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Bake the fish for 30 minutes (remember to keep an eye on it, as every oven is different, so don't burn it).
While the fish is grilling, prepare the ingredients and side dishes: 1. Mince the garlic or leave it whole, slice the ginger, and cut the scallions into sections. Wash the cilantro and onion, and slice them. 2. Wash and prepare the other side dishes (cabbage, konjac tofu, tofu sheets, mushrooms, etc.).
Peel the lotus root and cut it into thick slices. Soak the slices in water with added white vinegar (Purpose: Soaking the lotus root slices in white vinegar will prevent them from oxidizing and turning black).
Prepare the side dishes: Boil water in a pot, add 1 spoonful of salt and a few drops of oil, then add the cabbage, lotus root, and mushrooms and cook until they are "half-cooked but not soft" (Purpose: Pre-cooking them so they won't be undercooked when heated with the grilled fish later, and adding oil and salt will make the vegetables crisper and more flavorful).
Non-Spicy Seafood Sauce • Heat oil in a pan, then sauté minced garlic/garlic cloves, ginger slices, and scallions until fragrant (use low heat to avoid burning). Next, add seafood sauce and sauté until fragrant (purpose: sautéing the garlic and sauce is key to a delicious sauce). • Then add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and sugar, stir-fry evenly, then add a bowl of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes (purpose: to allow the seasonings to fully blend for a milder flavor).
Spicy Dry Pot Sauce • Heat oil in a pot, sauté scallions, ginger slices, and garlic until fragrant, then add the spicy dry pot sauce (I highly recommend dry pot sauce! Hot pot broth becomes soggy after cooking for a while, while dry pot sauce is more fragrant and flavorful), stir-fry until the oil turns red (purpose: the aroma of dry pot sauce is "caramelized," which is more suitable for grilling fish than hot pot broth). • Next, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar, stir well, add a bowl of water, and simmer for 5 minutes after the water boils (purpose: to allow the spiciness and aroma to infuse the broth and coat the fish more flavorfully).
Assemble and Enjoy! Prepare a large baking pan. First, place the previously cooked side dishes at the bottom, then put the grilled fish on top. Drizzle with a mild/spicy sauce, and sprinkle with celery, cilantro, and peanuts (you can add fried peanuts if you like them crunchy). I used a special grilling pan for fish; it bubbles as soon as you turn on the heat, making it super satisfying to cook while eating. If you don't have this special pan, you can use a small alcohol burner to hold a regular baking pan—it will taste just as good.