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How to cook Sliced fish soup

Sliced fish soup is a light, clear Singapore hawker soup of thick fish slices poached in a peppery, savoury broth made from fried fish bones and soybean-sweetened stock. It is served with fresh greens, a bright chilli-soy dip and rice or bee hoon.

Ingredients

For the fish and marinade

• 400 g skinless batang (Spanish mackerel) or snapper fillet, in one thick piece
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the stock

• 600 g fish bones and head (snapper or grouper), cleaned, gills removed, chopped into palm-sized pieces
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 4 slices ginger, about 3 mm thick
• 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 20 g ikan bilis (dried anchovies), rinsed
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 litres boiling water from a kettle
• 1 tbsp yellow soybean paste (taucheo), mashed
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp sugar

For the soup garnishes

• 150 g choy sum or sawi, cut into 6 cm lengths
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 6 wedges
• 2 tbsp fried shallots
• 2 stalks spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 stalk Chinese celery or coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp sesame oil, for finishing

For the chilli dip

• 3 red chilli padi or 1 large red chilli, sliced
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lime or calamansi juice
• 1 tbsp ginger, finely minced

To serve

• 4 bowls steamed rice, or 300 g dried bee hoon blanched until soft

Steps

1. Slice and marinate the fish10 min
   Slice the fish fillet against the grain into pieces about 1 cm thick and 4 cm wide. Toss gently with Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper, cornflour and sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate while you make the stock.
2. Prepare the bones5 min
   Rinse the fish bones and head under cold running water until the water runs clear, rubbing off any blood. Pat very dry with kitchen paper so they do not splatter in the oil.
3. Fry the aromatics1 min
   Heat the cooking oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant and just turning pale gold.
4. Fry the bones7 min
   Add the fish bones and head in a single layer if possible. Fry for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until the surfaces are lightly golden and the smell turns nutty. Add the ikan bilis and fry 1 minute more.
5. Deglaze1 min
   Splash in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble for 20 seconds, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
6. Add water and simmer5 min
   Pour in the 2 litres of boiling water (this helps the stock turn milky-white and keeps it clear of off-flavours). Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a steady medium simmer. Skim any grey foam in the first 5 minutes.
7. Build the flavour30 min
   Stir in the mashed soybean paste, sugar and white pepper. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and tastes savoury and gently sweet.
8. Strain the stock3 min
   Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing the bones lightly to extract flavour. Discard the solids. Season with salt, then taste and adjust. It should be lightly salty, peppery and clean.
9. Make the chilli dip2 min
   Combine the sliced chilli, light soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and minced ginger in a small dish. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
10. Prepare the bowls2 min
    Divide steamed rice or blanched bee hoon among 4 serving bowls. Place a few tomato wedges and a handful of choy sum in each bowl or keep them to cook in the pot, as preferred.
11. Cook the vegetables4 min
    Return the strained stock to the pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the tomato wedges and cook 2 minutes, then add the choy sum stems for 1 minute and the leaves for 30 seconds, until just tender but still bright green.
12. Poach the fish2 min
    Reduce heat to low so the stock barely bubbles. Slide in the fish slices one by one and poach for 1 to 2 minutes, until the flesh turns opaque white and flakes when pressed. Do not stir roughly; nudge gently with a spoon. Overcooking makes the fish tough.
13. Assemble2 min
    Ladle the hot soup, fish and vegetables over the rice or bee hoon. Drizzle each bowl with a few drops of sesame oil and scatter fried shallots, spring onion and Chinese celery on top.
14. Serve
    Serve immediately, with the chilli dip on the side for dipping the fish slices.

Tips

• Frying the bones until lightly golden, then adding boiling water, gives a rounder, milkier stock than simply boiling raw bones.
• Ask the fishmonger to fillet the fish and give you the head and bones separately; use batang or snapper for firm slices that hold together in the soup.
• Cut the fish thick (about 1 cm); thin slices overcook and break apart in seconds.
• Taste the soybean paste before using; brands vary in saltiness, so add the salt only after straining.
• For a richer, hawker-style finish, add a few slices of fried or roasted fish bone to the bowl when serving.

Food safety and allergens

Fish is cooked through when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily; keep the stock at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. Cool leftover soup quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours, eat within 2 days and reheat until piping hot throughout.

Contains: fish, sesame, soy, wheat

Watch it being made

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