Grandma’s Fried Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh seafood! Thick fish steaks sizzle in hot oil until golden, then get smothered in a thick glossy glaze. The glaze is the perfect balance because it’s sweet, tangy, salty and full of crunch.
If you love fish cooked this way, try it with tomatoes or ginger!
A seafood dish that excites every time
Just looking at this picture of Grandma’s Fried Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens has my mouth watering! As a child, I’d come home from school and feel my insides roll with excitement as I’d watch her pour the thick glossy sauce all over the fish steaks.
It takes me right back to the moment when I’d have a fish piece resting on my fresh hot rice, smothered in the tangy sweet soy glaze. When I’d use my chopsticks to pull the white meat apart, it would be satisfyingly firm yet tender enough to easily break apart.
But the sauce. That sauce. It makes the whole dish complete! It’s crunchy to the point where it’s crisp and simmered in every flavor to get your taste buds going. If you want something with a sour, sweet and salty kick to it, this is it!
The way I’m describing Grandma’s side dish might make you think that I prefer it over her steamed seafood dishes with ginger and shallots or black bean sauce – and maybe I do – but you have to try it out for yourself to find out which style you love best!
What are pickled mustard greens?
What it is
Pickled mustard greens (known as ‘haam soon choy‘ in Cantonese) are a salty and sour vegetable made from pickling mustard greens. It’s different to Đồ Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon) because it’s saltier and more sour, but it’s very similar to Vietnamese Dưa Cải Chua which uses the same vegetable.
Preparation
Just as we do for our choy gorn in Grandma’s Dried Vegetable Soup (菜乾湯), we rinse and wash the sour vegetable in cool water 2-3 times, then let it soak for 20-30 minutes. This will help to reduce the sharp tang.
Drain in a colander until dry, then use it in your favorite recipes!
Culinary use
Like any vegetables that go through the pickling process, these hearty leaves add amazing crunch to any dish (think our Gua Bao) and a ton of satisfying tang (we love it in Grandma’s Chinese Fish Soup).
You can even enjoy it on its own! Many Teo Chew families have it as a side dish with plain congee. My family on Mum’s side did this religiously!
If you can’t find these in store, you can substitute it using sauerkraut. Just keep in mind that the flavors and textures are different, so you’ll have to adjust to preference.
Alternatively, you can make your own using the recipe from The Woks Of Life.
But whether you’re making your own or getting it store-bought, it’s a terrific ingredient to use in Grandma’s Fried Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens!
Why this recipe works
- Using fresh seafood keeps the dish naturally sweet with a satisfyingly meaty bite.
- Quickly pan frying the vegetables helps to retain the crunch for added texture.
- Sweet, salty and tangy flavors are simmered for a tasty and balanced sauce.
What you’ll need
About the ingredients
We buy our haam soon choy from the Chinese supermarkets. They come in plastic bags with no branding, so keep an eye out at your local Asian grocery store.
For the seafood, we like to use grouper steaks because they’re meatier, but you can use whichever you prefer. Cod, halibut and swordfish are some great options. Dad also likes his cut into smaller chunks rather than leaving it whole, so cut it or leave it to preference.
How to make this recipe
Cut the sour vegetables into chunks roughly 5mm (2″) thick or to preference.
Pour 4 tbsp oil into a wok or pan and turn the heat up to high. When the oil’s hot, add the fish steaks in to cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown. While it’s frying, combine the chicken bouillon powder, water and soy sauce in a bowl.
After 4 minutes, flip and fry the fish for another 5 minutes or until cooked.
Note: If the pan or wok looks dry, pour in 1 tbsp oil to keep it sizzling.
Transfer onto a plate for later while you cook the sauce.
Add 2 tbsp oil into the wok or pan and turn the heat to medium. Throw in the chopped garlic and stir for 20 seconds.
Pour the washed vegetables in and stir fry for 30 seconds with the sugar.
Pour the mixed sauce in and simmer for 20 seconds.
Place the cooked fish on top of the sauce and let it sit for 20 seconds to absorb the flavor. Flip to the other side and let it sit for another 20 seconds.
Turn the heat to low and mix the starch slurry until combined, then slowly stir the sauce while pouring in the slurry to thicken the sauce up.
Scoop the fish onto a plate and pour the remaining sauce on top.
Serve immediately as is!
Recipe FAQs
This comes down to how long it’s cooked for. The longer it sits on heat, the more cooked and drier it becomes. Try to time it so that the steak is just cooked. Keep in mind that smaller steaks will need less time to fry.
Since haam soon choy is inherently sour from the pickling process, you can remove some of its tang by soaking it in cool water and rinsing it thoroughly. You might like to rinse and replace the water a few times so the sourness decreases.
Alternatively, add more sugar to balance it out.
If sealed well in an airtight container and left in the fridge, you can keep this dish for up to 3 days. Since it is made using seafood, though, I would recommend eating it as soon as possible so the fishy smell is kept at a minimum.
Tips for the best results
- Avoid over-frying the fish. If it’s fried for too long in oil, it will become dry and hard. Try to cook it until it’s just cooked.
- Taste the sour vegetables before you cook. Every brand will have a different level of saltiness, so make sure to taste test and adjust the flavors to preference as you go.
- Keep the meat chunkier. This will complement the texture in the sauce. Anything too thin will get lost in the tang and crunch of the vegetables.
- Use fresh ingredients. Frozen will work, but the taste and texture of fresh seafood complements the crunch in the sauce.
What to serve it with
- Add some freshness to your meals with some Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜).
- Our featured side dish will work well with rice or Grandma’s soothing BBQ Pork Leg and Choy Gorn Congee.
- If you’re opting for plain rice, add side dish variety with Bittermelon Stir Fry with Eggs and Vietnamese Beef Salad (Bò Xào Xà Lách Xoong).
- Canh Khoai Mỡ (Creamy Purple Yam Soup) is a thick and creamy way to bring it all together.
- Make Kem Chuối (Vietnamese Banana and Coconut Ice Cream) ahead of time for dessert or serve an easy Avocado Smoothie (Sinh Tố Bơ).
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Fried Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens
Equipment
- Colander (for drip drying the pickled mustard greens)
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2.2 lb grouper fish steak (or any that you prefer)
- 300 g / 0.66 lb pickled mustard greens (soaked and rinsed in cool water, then drained)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 6 tbsp cooking oil (4 tbsp for the fish and 2 tbsp for the sauce)
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce (or to taste)
- 1 US cup water
- 1 1/4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp starch slurry (1 tbsp potato starch mixed with 1 tbsp water)
Instructions
- Cut the sour vegetables into chunks roughly 5mm (2") thick or to preference.
- Pour 4 tbsp oil into a wok or pan and turn the heat up to high. When the oil's hot, add the fish steaks in to cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown. While it's frying, combine the chicken bouillon powder, water and soy sauce in a bowl.
- After 4 minutes, flip and fry the fish for another 5 minutes or until cooked. Note: If the pan or wok looks dry, pour in 1 tbsp oil to keep it sizzling.Transfer onto a plate for later while you cook the sauce.
- Pour the washed vegetables in and stir fry for 30 seconds with the sugar.
- Pour the mixed sauce in and simmer for 20 seconds.
- Place the cooked fish on top of the sauce and let it sit for 20 seconds to absorb the flavor. Flip to the other side and let it sit for another 20 seconds.
- Turn the heat to low and mix the starch slurry until combined, then slowly stir the sauce while pouring in the slurry to thicken the sauce up.
- Scoop the fish onto a plate and pour the remaining sauce on top.
- Serve immediately as is!
Notes
- Avoid over-frying the fish. If it's fried for too long in oil, it will become dry and hard. Try to cook it until it's just cooked.
- Taste the sour vegetables before you cook. Every brand will have a different level of saltiness, so make sure to taste test and adjust the flavors to preference as you go.
- Keep the meat chunkier. This will complement the texture in the sauce. Anything too thin will get lost in the tang and crunch of the vegetables.
- Use fresh ingredients. Frozen will work, but the taste and texture of fresh seafood complements the crunch in the sauce.
- We buy our pickled mustard greens from the Chinese supermarkets. They come in plastic bags with no branding, so keep an eye out at your local Asian grocery store.
- To prepare the sour vegetables, rinse and wash them in cool water 2-3 times, then let it soak for 20-30 minutes. Drain in a colander until dry before use.
- For the seafood, we like to use grouper steaks because they're meatier, but you can use whichever you prefer. Cod, halibut and swordfish are some great options. Dad also likes his cut into smaller chunks rather than leaving it whole, so cut it or leave it to preference.
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