Steamed grass carp belly with tea tree mushrooms
Grass carp belly steamed on soaked tea tree mushrooms with ginger and tangerine peel; the springy mushrooms soak up the juices, and it needs very little oil.
- 27 min
- Serves 2
- Steam
- Easy
Why it suits you: Phlegm-damp types feel heavy with a thick tongue coating, and although Bailu turns drier, Hong Kong is still humid, so a weak spleen easily gathers damp. Tea tree mushrooms strengthen the spleen and drain damp, grass carp warms the stomach, tangerine peel resolves phlegm and ginger warms the middle. Steamed with little oil and served with brown rice and greens, it fills you up without weighing you down.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 12 min- 1Soak the tea tree mushrooms in water for 20 minutes until soft, trim off the tough ends, squeeze dry and cut into lengths. Soak the tangerine peel, scrape off the pith and shred.
- 2Rinse and pat dry the fish, cut into pieces and mix with the salt, wine and cornflour; leave for 10 minutes.
- 3Spread the mushrooms over a plate, lay the fish on top and scatter with the ginger and tangerine peel. Steam over boiling water on a high heat for 8–10 minutes.
- 4Pour off the liquid from the plate, top with shredded spring onion, then pour over the oil, heated until smoking, and the soy sauce.
- 5Blanch the gai lan and serve alongside with the brown rice.
Cautions
- Grass carp belly has fine bones, so take care when serving it to children and older people.
Chef's tips
- Squeeze the soaked mushrooms dry before steaming so the dish isn't watery; pour off the fishy liquid after steaming and finish with hot oil and soy sauce for the best fragrance.
The TCM view
Tea tree mushrooms are sweet and neutral, entering the spleen, stomach and kidneys, strengthening the spleen, draining damp and promoting urination. Grass carp is sweet and warm, entering the liver and stomach, warming the stomach and harmonising the middle; tangerine peel regulates qi, dries damp and resolves phlegm; ginger warms the middle and transforms fluids; brown rice strengthens the spleen.
