we have food at home.

~ingredients:

• 1 whole fish (I use sea bass in this recipe)
• 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 3 green onion
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1/2 block soft tofu 
• enoki mushrooms
• 1 bunch watercress

~instructions:

1. De-scale and remove the guts of your fish (or this should already be done by your fishmonger when you buy the fish)
2. Using kitchen shears, cut off the fins to make filleting the fish easier during the next step.
3. To filet the fish, make a diagonal cut where the head meets the body, right behind the gills, until the knife hits the bone.
4. Run the knife against the bones, from the head to the tail. Use your other hand to lift the flesh while you cut the fish. Flip the fish and repeat the same steps.
5. With the remaining fish head and bones, chop the head off and chop the body into chunks. Set aside.
6. With the fish filets, slice into 2 inch chunks. Set aside.
7. Chop the green onion into 2 inch pieces, and slice your ginger into thin slices. Set aside.
8. Cube the soft tofu, and separate the enoki mushrooms into smaller bunches. Wash and drain the watercress. Set aside.
9. Heat up a wok over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp of neutral cooking oil.
10. Once the wok starts to smoke, add in the fish head and chopped up bones.
11. Sear on all sides until browned, about 3 minutes.
12. Add a splash of shaoxing wine, followed by the green onion and ginger.
13. Stir-fry for another minute to release the aromatics.
14. Pour in enough water to cover the fish bones, about 3-4 cups.
15. Add in 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, and mix.
16. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover.
17. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
18. Uncover, and the fish broth should be milky at this point.
19. Turn off the fire, and strain the broth into a bowl, separating the broth and the fish bones.
    • Fish bones could be discarded at this point, or set aside to eat later if you like to eat any remaining meat off the bones.
20. In the wok, pour the broth back in and turn on the fire.
21. When the broth starts to boil, add in the fish filet, enoki mushrooms, tofu, and watercress.
22. Let the broth come back up to a boil, and season with salt and white pepper
23. Cook for another 8-9 minutes. The soup should not be boiling too intensely, just lightly bubbling.
24. Once the fish is cooked, turn off the fire.
25. Serve the soup as is, or over rice. Enjoy!