PEI YU

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh white fish (such as flounder or halibut) (Flounder or halibut work well. Ask your fishmonger to fillet it if you prefer boneless slices.)
• 4 whole large green peppers (Also called capsicums. Remove seeds and white pith before cutting.)
• 4 whole onions (Yellow or brown onions are best here.)
• 0.5 lb mushrooms (Button or shiitake mushrooms both work. Wipe clean with a damp cloth rather than washing.)
• 0.5 lb water chestnuts (Fresh are ideal, but tinned (drained) work well for beginners. Peel if using fresh.)
• 0.25 lb bamboo shoots (Tinned bamboo shoots are widely available — drain and rinse before use.)
• 1 small piece fresh ginger (A piece roughly the size of your thumb. Peel with a spoon and slice thinly or mince finely.)
• 1 dessertspoon cornstarch (A dessertspoon is approximately 2 teaspoons. Used to thicken the sauce at the end.)
• 0 to taste soy bean sauce (Standard soy sauce (light or all-purpose) is the modern equivalent. Add a little at a time and taste.)
• 0 to taste salt (Season carefully — soy sauce is already salty.)
• 0 to taste pepper (White pepper is traditional in Chinese cooking, but black pepper also works.)
• 0 as needed cooking fat or oil (to grease the pan) (A neutral oil such as vegetable oil is ideal. Use just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the fish under cold running water and rinse it thoroughly. Pat it completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Drying the fish is important — it helps the fish hold together when sliced and prevents it from steaming rather than frying later.
2. 2Place the dried fish on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife, slice the fish cross-wise (across the width of the fillet) into pieces roughly 1–2 cm (about half an inch) thick. Slicing cross-wise gives neat, even pieces that cook quickly and evenly. Set the sliced fish aside on a plate.
3. 3Prepare each vegetable one at a time on your chopping board. Peel and cut the onions into bite-sized pieces or thick slices. Halve the green peppers, remove the seeds and white pith, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and slice or halve them depending on their size. Peel the water chestnuts if using fresh (or drain and rinse if using tinned) and slice them. Drain and rinse the bamboo shoots, then cut into thin slices or bite-sized pieces. Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon and slice it thinly. Keep all the prepared vegetables together in a bowl — they will all go into the pan at the same time.
4. 4Place a large frying pan or wok over high heat until it is very hot — you should see a faint shimmer rising from the surface. Add just enough cooking fat or oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add all the prepared vegetables (onions, green peppers, water chestnuts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ginger) to the pan at once. Stir continuously, moving everything around the pan, and fry over high heat until the vegetables are tender but still have a slight bite — about 5 to 7 minutes. High heat is key: it cooks the vegetables quickly and gives them a little colour without making them soggy.
5. 5Add the sliced fish to the pan with the vegetables. Spread the pieces out gently so they are in contact with the hot pan. Do not stir immediately — let the fish sit undisturbed for about 1 minute so it begins to cook and firms up slightly. This helps prevent the delicate fish pieces from breaking apart.
6. 6Gently stir the fish and vegetables together, being careful not to break up the fish pieces too much. Add soy bean sauce (soy sauce) a little at a time, tasting as you go — start with about 1 tablespoon and add more if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that soy sauce is already quite salty, so add salt cautiously. Continue to stir gently until everything is combined and the fish is just cooked through — it should be opaque and flake easily, which will take about 2 to 3 more minutes.
7. 7In a small bowl or cup, mix the 1 dessertspoon (approximately 2 teaspoons) of cornstarch with a splash of cold water — about 2 tablespoons — and stir until smooth. This is called a cornstarch slurry and prevents lumps. Pour the slurry gradually into the pan while stirring gently. The liquid in the pan will thicken into a light, glossy gravy within about 1 minute. Once the gravy has reached your desired consistency, remove the pan from the heat immediately. Serve hot, as is or with steamed rice.