Red Braised Fish Filet

Love bold, savory Chinese flavors? Try 紅燒魚片 (Red-Braised Fish Fillet)! Traditionally, this classic dish is made with a whole fish, but my version uses fillets for an easier, less messy meal. The "red braised" style comes from soy sauce, sugar, and aromatics that create a rich, reddish sauce. In this recipe, I also add doubanjiang (chili bean paste) for extra umami depth and a touch of heat - a delicious twist that makes the flavors really pop!

Jump to:

• About the dish
• About the ingredients
• Rice Wine / Michiu
• Light Soy Sauce
• How to cook Red Braised Fish Filet (Step by Step)
• Storage & Reheat
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Red Braised Fish Fillet Recipe
• More easy tasty fish recipes
• Pin for later!

About the dish

This dish is called Red Braised Fish because in Chinese it is called Hong Shao Yu 紅燒魚. Hong Shao 紅燒 = Red Cooked. Yu 魚 = Fish!

The mix of chili bean sauce and soy sauce in the cooking process causes the dish to end up with a reddish color.

Traditionally this dish is made with a whole fish. And sometimes we do make it with a whole fish (Red Braised Whole Fish recipe), but often these days we prefer to use fish filets.

By the way - if you like red braised fish, you will most likely also enjoy my red braised pork belly, red braised chicken, and red braised beef!

About the ingredients

Here's some extra info about the ingredients!

Fish

There are different types of fish you can choose from. We like to use grouper filet.

Grouper - a lean, moist, mild flavor fish. It's got large flakes and a firm texture. The Red Grouper has has a slightly sweet flavor than Black Grouper.

Cod - This is a mild and somewhat buttery white fish. It's got pretty delicate and flaky flesh - which is awesome when the sauce of this dish gets all in between it! It goes with this dish pretty well because the mild taste of cod will highlight the ginger scallion and soy mix.

Sea bass - This is another good white fish to go with this dish. Similar to cod - sea bass also is a mild, slightly sweet, white fish. It's flesh is described as moist moist, buttery, and tender.

Flounder - This is also a mild white fish - it is more delicate so if you want to cook with this fish, you may want to be more gentle or else it could easily fall apart. But outside of that it it is also similar to cod and sea bass - slightly sweet and mild.

Salmon - Salmon might seem like a strange fish I'm listing for this dish, as the other fishes I've listed are all mild white fish. However, from personal experience, salmon's rich, fatty, and buttery flavor profile also goes well with this dish! But is that a surprise? Salmon goes almost with anything!

Chili Bean Paste / Doubanjiang

Chilli Bean Paste aka Doubanjiang 豆瓣酱, is a chunky sauce you can buy at the store that is spicy and savory. It's traditionally made from fermented broad beans, chili peppers, soybeans, salt and flour. There are also different ones you can find, for example some will add spicy chili oil in it already.

Chili Bean Paste is often used in Sichuan food (ex: mapo tofu), which might explain why I love it because I love Sichuan food (and my grandma was from there!). I use it in my Szechuan Chicken, Twice Cooked Pork and Jalapeno Chicken.

You can buy it at your local Asian super market or even on Amazon such as this one: Lee Kum Kee LKK Chili Bean Sauce (Toban Djan).

Rice Wine / Michiu

There's also a type of alcohol used in this dish, called michiu. Michiu aka Rice Wine is commonly used as a cooking wine and contains about 19.5% alcohol. It's commonly used in Taiwanese cooking so it's always in my pantry.

Light Soy Sauce

Light soy sauce (aka 生抽, sheng chou) is the most common type used in Chinese cooking. It's used to enhance the flavors! This kind of soy sauce is often used in stir fry sauces, marinades, dipping sauces and more.

If you're not sure what kind of soy sauce you have, this is probably it. Also, if you ever see a recipe that says 'soy sauce' and doesn't specify what kind, this is most likely it.

How to cook Red Braised Fish Filet (Step by Step)

Here's how we make it at home.

First gather your ingredients:

• 1 lb fish , (I am using 2 8-oz grouper filets)
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chili bean paste (aka doubanjiang)
• 2 tablespoon rice wine
• 1 tablespoon ginger, julienned
• 5 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 scallions, cut 1 inch length

If you haven't already, cut scallions in to 1 to 2 inch length, and thinly slice ginger and julienne. Pat dry the fish if it is wet.

In a cooking pan, add vegetable oil and let it heat up on medium high heat. Once heated, add fish to pan.

Let it cook for about 2 minutes, and then using a spatulate, gently flip to the other side.

Add the chili bean paste, ginger, rice wine, garlic (optional) and soy sauce, sugar in to the pan and mix well without disturbing the fish. You can do this by adding it in an area and then pan and if needed, use a spatula and swirl everything to mix well. If it gets a little dry, add a little water in to the pan.

Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, and then add the scallions and let it cook for another minute.

Remove from heat and serve!

Storage & Reheat

Storage:

• Fridge: Let the fish cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Fish tends to dry out if kept longer.
• Freezer: Not recommended, as cooked fish fillets can become mushy once thawed.

Reheat:

• Stovetop (best): Gently reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth until warmed through. Avoid stirring too much so the fillets don't break apart.
• Microwave: Use short 20-30 second bursts, covered, and check often - over-microwaving will make the fish rubbery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a whole fish instead of fillets?
Yes! Traditionally, Red Braised Fish (紅燒魚) is made with a whole fish. Using fillets is just a simpler, less messy variation. But here's my recipe for Red Braised whole fish!

What types of fish work best?
Firm white fish such as grouper, cod, sea bass, or flounder work beautifully. Even salmon can be used for a richer flavor.

Is doubanjiang required?
Not always - some traditional versions use just soy sauce and sugar for the red braised base. In this recipe, I include doubanjiang (chili bean paste) for extra savory depth and a little heat.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Technically yes, you can cook it earlier in the day and reheat gently before serving. BUT for the freshest taste and texture, it's best enjoyed right after cooking.

More easy tasty fish recipes

• If you love easy and tasty fish, try this Pan Seared Fish With Ginger Scallions Soy Sauce! The ginger, scallions and soy sauce mix is a common combination in Chinese cuisine - and it's not hard to see why, it's so tasty!
• If you love crispy fish, check out my pan fried pomfret (or pompano) - easy and tasty!
• Don't forget you can always make a whole meal with fried rice! For example this salmon fried rice - it's easy and delicious!
• Looking for ultimate comfort food? Try fish congee - featuring tender fish simmered in a creamy rice porridge, along with veggies, and seasoned with ginger and a touch of spice!
  

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