Sole fillet with onion and peppers in black vinegar sauce, with rice
Pan-fried sole with onion, sweet pepper and a black vinegar glaze — tangy, sweet and appetising, and easy whenever there's frozen fish in the freezer.
- 22 min
- Serves 2
- Pan-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Blood-stasis types often have a dull complexion, bruise easily or get period pain, and Grain Rain's damp makes circulation even more sluggish. Vinegar and onion help disperse stagnation and get the blood moving, the fish is quick and easy to digest, and the sweet-sour flavour wakes up the appetite without weighing you down.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 12 min- 1Cut the fish into large pieces, sprinkle with a little salt for 5 minutes, pat dry and dust lightly with cornflour.
- 2Heat the oil in a pan and fry the fish over medium heat until golden on both sides; set aside.
- 3In the same pan, fry the ginger and onion until fragrant, add the pepper and cook for 1 minute, then add the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and 3 tbsp water and bring to the boil.
- 4Return the fish and toss gently until the sauce is slightly thick, then spoon over the rice.
Cautions
- Halve the vinegar if you have excess stomach acid or stomach pain, and skip this dish on heavy period days.
Chef's tips
- Thaw frozen fillets fully and blot them dry before dusting, so they hold together and don't spit in the pan.
The TCM view
Vinegar is sour, bitter and warm; it disperses stasis, eases pain and stirs the appetite. Onion is pungent and warm, moving qi and blood. Red pepper is sweet and warm and moves qi; ginger is pungent and warm and dispels cold; sole is sweet and neutral and builds qi. Warming and moving without drying — keeping blood flowing on damp days.
