Steamed grass carp belly in black bean sauce with adzuki bean rice
Fish belly steamed silky with fermented black beans and dried tangerine peel, served with adzuki bean and brown rice — strengthens the spleen and drains damp.
- 55 min
- Serves 2
- Steam
- Medium
Why it suits you: Phlegm-damp types feel heavy and puffy, and the rains of Grain Buds make damp worse. Adzuki beans and brown rice drain water and strengthen the spleen, black beans and tangerine peel move qi and dry damp, and steamed fish needs little oil, so the meal satisfies without adding damp.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min- 1Rinse the soaked adzuki beans with the brown rice, add 2½ cups of water and cook in a rice cooker.
- 2Rinse and pat dry the fish, then mix with the black beans, garlic, tangerine peel, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and cornflour and leave for 10 minutes.
- 3Spread the fish on a plate and steam over high heat for 8–10 minutes until cooked.
- 4Scatter with spring onion, pour over a tablespoon of hot oil and serve with the adzuki bean rice.
Cautions
- Fish belly has fine bones, so take care with children and older people.
- Not suitable if you are allergic to fish.
Chef's tips
- Soak the adzuki beans ahead of time, or overnight in the fridge, so they cook soft with the rice.
The TCM view
Grass carp is sweet and warm, warming the stomach and harmonising the middle. Adzuki bean is sweet, sour and neutral, promoting urination and reducing swelling. Fermented black bean settles the stomach and disperses stagnant heat; tangerine peel is pungent, bitter and warm, regulating qi, strengthening the spleen and drying damp. Together they strengthen the spleen and resolve phlegm-damp.
