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Overview

Sichuan Boiled Fish

Sichuan Boiled Fish — Shui Zhu Yu in Mala Chilli Oil

This sichuan boiled fish recipe — shui zhu yu — poaches slices of white fish in a spicy broth built on doubanjiang, dried chillies and Sichuan pepper, then finishes the bowl with a pour of smoking-hot oil that blooms the spices on top. The result is mala: hot and numbing at the same time, with silky fish underneath. One serving is about 440 g.

Shui zhu yu, literally water-boiled fish, comes from Sichuan province in south-west China, where the mala pairing of dried chillies and Sichuan pepper defines the cooking. The name is a joke of sorts: the fish is not boiled in plain water but poached in a fiery, oily broth, then finished with a pour of smoking-hot oil that makes the chillies and pepper sizzle on top — a technique that keeps the fish silky while the heat stays on the surface.

Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice and a cool cucumber salad

Provenance

China flag China

Sichuan Classic

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

35m

20m prep • 15m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

338 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 440 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Intermediate (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Family dinner, cold evenings, when you want something fiery and bold Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Fish Spicy Savory High-protein
A metal bowl of Sichuan boiled fish with white fish slices in red chilli oil broth, dried chillies and chopped spring onions

Sichuan Classic

Photo: Bjankuloski06, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A good shui zhu yu has silky, unbroken fish slices, a red glossy broth, and a sizzling top of chillies and Sichuan pepper.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 35m
P

Prep Stage: Velvet the Fish, Bloom the Spices

20 Mins • Knife Work

Slice the fish thin and toss it with Shaoxing wine, egg white and cornstarch — this velveting coat keeps the slices silky in the hot broth. While the fish rests, snip the dried chillies, measure the Sichuan pepper and doubanjiang, and slice the garlic, ginger and spring onion so the fast finish goes smoothly.

Maestro Tip: Slice the fish on a slight angle and keep the slices even — thin slices cook in under a minute.

  1. 1

    Velvet the Fish

    10 Mins Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)

    Toss the sliced fish with the Shaoxing wine, egg white and cornstarch until every slice is lightly coated. Leave it for 10 minutes — the starch coat is what keeps the fish tender instead of tough in the boiling broth.

    Use your hands and be gentle; the slices tear easily once coated.

    Done when: Fish slices are evenly coated and glossy.

  2. 2

    Blanch the Vegetables

    3 Mins Boiling, 100°C (212°F)

    Boil the bean sprouts, napa cabbage and celery for 2 minutes until just tender, then drain and spread them in the bottom of a large serving bowl. They catch the fish and soak up the broth.

    Do not overcook them — they keep cooking under the hot broth.

    Done when: Vegetables are bright, just tender and drained.

  3. 3

    Build the Mala Broth

    5 Mins Medium-high heat, ~180°C (355°F)

    Heat 30 ml of oil in a wok, fry the garlic, ginger and doubanjiang for 1 minute until fragrant, then pour in 600 ml of water with the soy sauce, sugar and salt. Bring to a rolling boil and taste — it should be salty, spicy and deeply savoury.

    Fry the doubanjiang until the oil turns red; that colour is the flavour.

    Done when: Broth is boiling, red and fragrant.

  4. 4

    Poach the Fish

    2 Mins Boiling, 100°C (212°F)

    Slide the fish slices into the boiling broth one at a time so they do not clump, and poach for 60–90 seconds until they turn opaque and flake easily — the fish must reach 63°C (145°F). Lift the fish and broth over the vegetables in the serving bowl.

    Do not stir hard or the slices break; nudge them gently with chopsticks.

    Done when: Fish is opaque white, flakes easily, and reaches 63°C (145°F).

  5. 5

    Finish with Hot Oil

    2 Mins Hot oil, ~200°C (390°F)

    Scatter the dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns and spring onion over the fish. Heat the remaining 30 ml of oil until it just starts to smoke, then pour it over the top in a slow stream — it will sizzle and bloom the spices. Serve at once.

    Stand back when you pour: the oil spits. The sizzle is the dish — do not skip it.

    Done when: Chillies and pepper are sizzling and fragrant; the oil on top is red and glossy.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the Sichuan boiled fish at once, while the oil is still sizzling and the fish is silky. Eat the fish first with rice, then spoon the broth over the vegetables underneath.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

338

kcal / serving

Protein

31g

Complete AA

Carbs

18g

Complex

Fats

16g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 440 g)
Energy338 kcal
Protein31 g
Carbohydrates18 g
Fat16 g
Fibre3.7 g
Sugar4.9 g
Sodium1072 mg
Per 100g
Energy77 kcal
Protein7.2 g
Carbohydrates4 g
Fat3.7 g
Fibre0.8 g
Sugar1.1 g
Sodium245 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C (chillies, bean sprouts, celery), B12 and selenium (fish), iron (doubanjiang), vitamin K (spring onion, celery).

High in Protein, Light in Calories

White fish gives about 31 g of protein per serving — roughly 37% of the dish's calories — for only about 338 kcal.

Vegetables Under the Fish

Bean sprouts, napa cabbage and celery cook in the broth and add fibre and crunch under the silky fish.

Warming Mala Heat

Dried chillies bring heat and Sichuan pepper brings its tingling numbness — the combination warms you up fast on a cold evening.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Steamed Jasmine Rice

Plain rice is essential — it soaks up the spicy broth and gives your mouth a break from the mala heat.

Vegetables

Cucumber Salad

Cool, vinegary cucumber is the classic antidote to chilli heat and resets the palate between bites.

Drinks

Iced Green Tea

Unsweetened iced tea cools the chilli without adding sugar, and it suits the savoury broth.

Full Menus

As Part of a Sichuan Meal

Serve the fish with rice, a cucumber salad and a simple stir-fry — the boiled fish is the fiery centre of the table.

Complete menu

Serve the fish with steamed jasmine rice and a cool cucumber salad on the side, and finish with iced green tea.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

A Second Very Spicy Dish

One mala dish is enough — a second chilli-heavy dish overwhelms the palate and the stomach. Balance the table with plain rice and a cool salad instead. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

Drinking the Broth Like Soup

The broth is intensely salty and oily — about 1,072 mg of sodium per serving. Eat the fish and vegetables with rice, and leave most of the broth behind.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA fiery, protein-rich dinner — best for adults who enjoy chilli heat.
  • ChildrenNot recommended for young children — the mala heat and whole peppercorns are too strong. Make a plain poached-fish version for them.
  • ElderlyNot ideal — the chilli and Sichuan pepper can be hard on digestion. Choose a mild steamed fish instead.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable if the fish is fully cooked through to 63°C (145°F); keep the chilli light and skip the peppercorns.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; the protein supports recovery — keep the chilli light if it upsets you.
  • AthletesA strong post-workout dinner: about 31 g of protein per serving with rice for glycogen.
  • Weight gainA good choice — take a full portion of fish and a second helping of rice.
  • Weight lossA good choice: only about 338 kcal per serving with high protein — keep the rice modest and skip the oily broth.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe dish itself is low in carbs — the rice is the main source. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureThe broth is very salty — about 1,072 mg of sodium per serving. Eat the fish, leave the broth. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
  • Kidney diseaseLimit the broth (sodium from doubanjiang and salt); ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutEat occasionally and in smaller portions — fish is low in purines, but the rich, salty broth is the concern.
  • Stomach issuesChillies and Sichuan pepper can irritate a sensitive stomach — this dish is not a good choice during a flare-up.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseKeep the portion modest and favour the fish and vegetables over the oily broth; the oil adds saturated fat in quantity.
  • Fatty liverKeep the portion modest and leave the oily broth behind; the fish itself is lean.
  • Food allergiesContains fish, wheat (soy sauce, Shaoxing wine may contain wheat) and egg white. Check the doubanjiang label — it may contain wheat and peanuts.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium diet, use half the doubanjiang and salt, and check with your clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the fish and broth together in an airtight container.
In the fridge
2 days.
In the freezer
Not recommended — the fish turns rubbery.
How to reheat
Reheat gently until simmering; reheat to 74°C (165°F). Do not boil hard or the fish toughens.
Freezing recommended
No — the poached fish does not freeze well.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or fishy smell, slimy fish, or cloudy broth.

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