Modeled after Hunan-style steamed fish, this flavor-blasted recipe substitutes the traditional duò jião for Calabrian chile paste, a more easily available fermented chile product. Consider this weeknight-friendly dinner an exercise in efficiency. While the rice cooks, make the cooling cucumber salad, followed by the fish and its speedy sauce. The cucumber salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead; cover
and chill until it’s time to serve. The fiery sauce is equally good poured over roast chicken thighs or smeared over steamed tofu. To switch things up a little, use halibut or sablefish (black cod) in place of the cod.
Ginger-Garlic Fire Cod
By SHILPA USKOKOVIC
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
1⁄4 cup Tutto Calabria Crushed Calabrian
Chili Peppers
4 scallions
1 lb. Persian cucumbers (about 6),
very thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 13⁄4 tsp.
Morton kosher salt, plus more
1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. unseasoned
rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
4 5–6-oz. cod or other flaky
white fish fillets
Steamed white rice (for serving)
Preparation
STEP 1
Remove dark green parts from scallions;
thinly slice and set aside for serving.
Thinly slice remaining white and pale
green parts. Set aside separately.
STEP 2
Place cucumbers in a medium bowl.
Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or
13⁄4 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Massage
cucumbers with your hands, gently at
first, then squeezing more firmly as
they expel excess liquid and become
more pliable, just to soften a bit. Let
sit 15 minutes. Pour off released liquid.
STEP 3
Stir 1⁄4 cup vinegar and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a
small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add
to cucumbers and toss to coat. Taste and
season with more salt if needed.
STEP 4
Cook garlic, ginger, Calabrian chiles,
3 Tbsp. oil, and reserved white and pale
green scallion parts in a small skillet
over medium, stirring occasionally, until
scallions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add soy sauce, remaining 1 tsp. sugar, and 1⁄4 cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook,
swirling occasionally, until reduced by a
fourth, about 5 minutes. Remove from
heat and stir in remaining 1 Tbsp. vinegar.
STEP 5
Meanwhile, place flour in a shallow bowl.
Pat cod dry with paper towels; sprinkle
all over with salt. Working one at a time,
dredge one side of fillets in flour to coat
evenly, shaking off any excess. Place fish,
flour side up, on a plate.
STEP 6
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large
nonstick skillet over medium-high.
Arrange fish, flour side down, in pan
and cook, shaking pan occasionally,
until golden, crisp, and opaque around
the edges, 6–8 minutes. Turn and cook
just until flesh flakes easily with a fork,
1–2 minutes.
STEP 7
Arrange fish on a platter and spoon
sauce over. Top with reserved dark green
scallion parts. Serve with rice and
cucumber salad.
