Mild Chilies Stuffed with Fish and Ginger, Wok-Style

This recipe grew out of one of those visits to the local street market that ends up changing the original plan. I went looking for a fresh white fish to make stuffed chilies in the wok and, after chatting with a woman by the fish stall and with the fishmonger, I chose fresh hake (Seehecht in Germany): a delicate white fish with a little more character than some milder alternatives.

The chilies followed the same story. I could not find exactly the variety I had in mind, so I combined green jalapeños with small red chilies. The result became a very personal version: gently spicy, fresh, fragrant with ginger, and served with jasmine rice to balance the heat.

Like many recipes from Mi cocina entre mundos, this version is adapted for two people and prepared without garlic.

Mild Chilies Stuffed with Fish and Ginger, Wok-Style

Servings: 2
Total time: approximately 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the stuffed chilies

• 191 g fresh hake (Seehecht in Germany), skinless and boneless
• 4–6 small chilies, combining green jalapeños and red chilies
• 12 g fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
• 25–26 g whole egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 level tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pinch white pepper
• A very small pinch of salt
• Neutral oil for frying, such as sunflower or rapeseed oil

For the sauce

• 60 ml water
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 5 g fresh ginger, very finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dark miso, optional, as a substitute for fermented black beans

To serve

• 130 g jasmine rice
• 180 ml water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced, to finish

Equipment

• Wok or large deep frying pan
• Small saucepan with lid for the rice
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Two medium bowls and one small bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Kitchen tongs
• Spatula
• Kitchen paper
• Kitchen thermometer, optional

Preparation before cooking

1. Prepare the fish: Pat the hake very dry with kitchen paper. Cut it into small cubes, then chop it with a knife until you have a coarse paste that still retains some texture.
2. Prepare the ginger: Finely chop 12 g for the filling and reserve another 5 g for the sauce.
3. Prepare the chilies: Wash, dry and cut them lengthwise. Remove the seeds and white membranes. If one is especially hot, blanch it in boiling water for 30–45 seconds, cool it and dry thoroughly.
4. Prepare the sauce mixture: Combine the water, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, ginger and, if using, dark miso. Set aside.

Step by step

1. Make the filling. Mix the chopped fish with ginger, beaten egg, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, white pepper and a very small pinch of salt. Stir for about 1 minute until slightly sticky. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. Fill the chilies. Spoon in the fish mixture without overfilling. Keep the surface of the filling almost level with the chili and dust the exposed fish very lightly with cornstarch.
3. Cook the rice. Place it in a saucepan with 180 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over the lowest heat for 11 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest, still covered, for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Heat the wok. Preheat the empty wok for 1–2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to form a layer about 1–1.5 cm deep and heat to approximately 170–175 °C.
5. Brown the fish side. Place the chilies filling-side down. Fry for 2–2 1/2 minutes, leaving them untouched during the first minute, until the fish is golden and well sealed.
6. Cook the chili side. Turn them over and cook for another 1 1/2–2 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
7. Make the sauce. Remove almost all the oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tsp. Stir the sauce mixture again, add it to the wok and cook over medium heat for 30–60 seconds, until glossy and slightly thickened.
8. Finish the dish. Return the stuffed chilies to the wok and gently coat them with the sauce. Cook for another 1 1/2–2 minutes. If using a thermometer, the center of the fish should reach approximately 63 °C.
9. Rest. Turn off the heat and let the dish rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Plating

Shape the jasmine rice into a small mound at one end of the plate. Arrange the stuffed chilies in front of it, alternating green and red pieces and keeping the golden fish filling visible. Spoon a little sauce around them and finish with finely sliced spring onion.

Notes

The level of heat will depend greatly on the chilies available. Removing the inner white membranes thoroughly helps make them milder. Jasmine rice works especially well here because it balances the heat while allowing the fish and ginger to remain the main flavors.

This recipe is also a good example of cooking with what the market offers. Instead of chasing exact ingredients, the dish adapted itself to the fresh fish and chilies I actually found that day.