Fast Stir-fried Fish with Mushrooms and Ginger Step By Step Visual Guide

Stir-fried Fish with Mushrooms and Ginger Fresh ginger and bean sauce — the book calls them "the perfect duo" — are the engine of this quick Vietnamese stir-fry. Thin strips of young ginger are stir-fried with garlic and fresh shiitake mushrooms until fragrant, then a splash of hoisin sauce and chicken stock builds a glossy, savory glaze that coats delicate slices of white fish. The fish simmers gently in the sauce for just a few minutes, absorbing the aromatics without falling apart. A finishing scattering of spring onion and cilantro adds freshness, and an optional chili brings a clean, bright heat. This is weeknight Vietnamese cooking at its most practical: eight minutes of preparation, ten minutes at the stove, and dinner is on the table. The recipe calls for flounder, but any firm-fleshed white fish fillet — sole, tilapia, cod, or snapper — works equally well. Serve it hot over steamed rice to soak up every drop of the ginger-tinged sauce. INGREDIENTS Aromatics & Mushrooms Oil: 3 tablespoons Garlic, minced: 3 cloves Fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into thin strips (to yield ½ cup): 3 in (8 cm) piece Fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced into thin strips: 3 mushrooms Sauce Hoisin sauce: 1 tablespoon Chicken stock (or ⅛ stock cube dissolved in ¼ cup hot water): ¼ cup (60 ml) Fish & Seasoning Flounder or other white fish fillets, thinly sliced: 1 lb (500 g) Fish sauce: 2 teaspoons Sugar: 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper: ½ teaspoon Optional & Garnish Finger-length chilies, deseeded and cut into thin strips (optional): 1 to 2 Spring onion, cut into lengths: 1 Coriander leaves (cilantro): 1 sprig Preparation Steps 1. Slice the ginger. Peel a 3-inch (8 cm) piece of fresh young ginger and cut it into thin matchstick strips to yield about ½ cup. Young ginger is preferred for its tender texture and snappier flavor; if only mature ginger is available, slice it as thinly as possible. 2. Prep the mushrooms. Remove and discard the tough stems from 3 fresh shiitake mushrooms. Slice the caps into thin strips that match the ginger in size, so every bite carries a balanced mix of both. 3. Mince the garlic. Finely mince 3 cloves of garlic and set aside. 4. Slice the fish. Cut 1 lb (500 g) of flounder or other white fish fillets into thin, bite-sized slices. Cutting across the grain helps the pieces hold together during the brief simmer. Pat the fish dry with paper towels so it sears rather than steams. 5. Prepare the stock. Measure out ¼ cup (60 ml) of chicken stock. If using a stock cube, dissolve ⅛ of a cube in ¼ cup of hot water and stir until fully dissolved. 6. Prep the chili (optional). If using, deseed 1 to 2 finger-length chilies and cut them into thin strips. Set aside to add at the end of cooking. 7. Cut the garnishes. Cut 1 spring onion into short lengths and pick a sprig of coriander leaves (cilantro) for the final garnish. Set both aside. Cooking Steps 1. Heat the oil. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. 2. Stir-fry the aromatics and mushrooms. Add the minced garlic, ginger strips, and mushroom strips. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and the mushrooms begin to soften and release their aroma. 3. Add the hoisin sauce. Pour in 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce and stir-fry for a few seconds, coating the aromatics. The sauce will darken and caramelize slightly — this builds the flavor base. 4. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Pour in the ¼ cup (60 ml) of chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. 5. Cook the fish. Stir in the sliced fish pieces. Season with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the fish is just cooked through and opaque. Avoid over-stirring so the delicate fish slices keep their shape. 6. Add the chili (optional). If using, add the chili strips, mix gently, and remove from the heat. 7. Serve. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with the spring onion lengths and coriander leaves (cilantro), and serve hot with steamed rice.