Clay Pot Fish and Tofu is one of the most popular Cantonese casserole or clay pot recipes. This dish is inspired by the classic Cantonese yee tou bo (fish head pot) or yee nam bo (fish collar/belly pot) that my family used to make.
I remember that we would also have it out in restaurants during some of our Chinatown trips, but mostly, it was a comfort food dish cooked at home.
Don’t Waste Those Fish Collars, Heads & Bellies!
A more traditional clay pot fish recipe contains fish heads, collars, and bellies. I remember my grandfather used to make a cod fish head clay pot with tofu, and I loved the meaty fried fish pieces drenched in a silky brown sauce. My mom and dad used to make the same dish, but I think my grandpa’s was the best as I remember it as a kid.
The collar and belly pieces were the ones that I liked the most. While it sounds like it might not be much actual fish, the pieces can be quite large and meaty!
The last time I went fishing on a charter boat with my cousins in Montauk, I caught my personal best striped bass—a 46 incher that I could barely lift after the long fight bringing it in.
We had to throw it back since the slot size for keepers, which changes often, was between 28 and 38 inches at the time. I did end up catching another one, which was a keeper, but what a thrill!
When it was time for cleaning the fish, my cousin Tony suggested that we ask the mates to get some fish heads, collars, and bellies (usually, these pieces get thrown overboard to the birds after fileting the fish).
We got two each, but let me tell you, next time I plan to ask for them all. Most people on the boat wanted only the fillets. However, while the fish heads are admittedly more difficult to prep (the best part is the cheek), the fish collars and bellies were delicious and inspired me to make this classic clay pot fish and tofu.
I understand though that many of you would prefer to use fillets. We used skin-on fillets for the photos of this clay pot fish recipe, which were delicious, but if you can get your hands on some nice fish collars, definitely try those out too!
What Does “Casserole” Mean in a Chinese Context?
You may be wondering why this dish is sometimes referred to as a clay pot dish, while sometimes people call it a “casserole.”
When you think of the term “casserole” in the U.S., you think of something you bake in an oven, usually in a large and deep dish. It makes me think of midwestern “hot dishes,” lasagnas, and other rich, cheesy recipes.
However, the word originated in France, and it generally referred to food cooked in a deep earthenware dish, much like a Chinese clay pot! Indeed, on a Chinese (usually Cantonese) menu in English, the “casseroles” section contains a selection of clay pot dishes that come out to your table bubbling away in a clay pot cooking vessel!
It’s hard to say when this English translation showed up on Chinese restaurant menus in America, but when you think about it, a Chinese clay pot isn’t that different from any ceramic or earthenware dish.
Okay, let’s get to the recipe!
Clay Pot Fish: Recipe Instructions
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups of hot water for 2 hours, or until reconstituted. Squeeze the water from the mushrooms, trim off any tough stems, and cut the mushrooms in half. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Avoid any sediment that may have settled at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside.
Rinse the fish pieces and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the fish in a bowl along with the cornstarch, flour, Shaoxing wine, salt, and sesame oil. Mix well to coat the fish, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Next, make the sauce mixture. Combine the reserved cup of mushroom soaking liquid with 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, the oyster sauce, chee hou sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Place your wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the oil, making sure to coat the sides of the wok. Stir the fish in the marinade ingredients uniformly coat the pieces. Quickly and carefully, place each piece of fish into the oiled wok in a single layer.
Reduce the heat to medium-high, and let the fish fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Then carefully flip the fish pieces and fry for another minute.
Turn off the heat, and transfer the fish pieces to a plate. Set aside.
With the wok over medium heat, add the ginger slices. Cook for 15 seconds, and then stir in the white parts of the scallions.
Cook for another 30 seconds, and then add the garlic, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Next, add the prepared sauce mixture and the firm tofu. Gently stir everything together, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the fish back to the wok, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, or until you’ve heated the fish through. While the fish is simmering, place a clay pot on the stove over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the lettuce to the clay pot.
To finish the dish, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while gently stirring everything together. The sauce should thicken nicely. Add the green portions of the scallions and cook for a few seconds, just until they start to wilt.
Scoop the fish mixture into the clay pot over the iceberg lettuce. It should be bubbling!
Serve immediately!
And make sure you have steamed rice to go with it!
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Recipe
Clay Pot Fish and Tofu
Ingredients
To marinate the fish:
- 1 pound fish filets or collars (choose a flaky white fish such as striped bass, cut into 2.5-inch/6cm pieces)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
For the rest of the dish:
- 7 to 8 medium-size dried shiitake mushrooms (save 1 cup of the soaking liquid)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon chee hou sauce
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper powder
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, avocado, or peanut oil)
- 3 slices fresh ginger (⅛-inch/3mm thick)
- 2 scallions (cut at an angle into 2-inch/5cm slices, whites and green parts separated)
- 3 cloves garlic (sliced)
- ¼ cup sliced carrot
- 8 ounces firm tofu (½ a block sliced 1/2" thick into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 1 tablespoon water)
- ¼ head of iceberg lettuce (hand-torn into large pieces)
Instructions
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups of hot water for 2 hours, or until reconstituted. Squeeze the water from the mushrooms, trim off any tough stems, and cut the mushrooms in half. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid, avoiding any sediment that may have settled at the bottom of the bowl, and set aside.
- Rinse the fish pieces and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the fish in a bowl along with the cornstarch, flour, Shaoxing wine, salt, and sesame oil. Mix well to coat the fish, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Next, make the sauce mixture. Combine the reserved cup of mushroom soaking liquid with 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, the oyster sauce, chee hou sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Place your wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke, and add the oil, making sure to coat the sides of the wok. Stir the fish in the marinade ingredients to make sure it’s uniformly coated. Quickly and carefully, place each piece of fish into the oiled wok in a single layer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high, and let the fish fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Then carefully flip the fish pieces and fry for another minute. Turn off the heat, and transfer the fish pieces to a plate. Set aside.
- With the wok over medium heat, add the ginger slices. Cook for 15 seconds, and then stir in the white parts of the scallions. Cook for another 30 seconds, and then add the garlic, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the prepared sauce mixture and the firm tofu. Gently stir everything together, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the fish back to the wok, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the fish is heated through. While the fish is simmering, place a clay pot on the stove over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the lettuce to the clay pot.
- To finish the dish, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while gently stirring everything together. The sauce should thicken nicely. Add the green portions of the scallions and cook for a few seconds, just until they start to wilt. Scoop the fish mixture into the clay pot over the iceberg lettuce. It should be bubbling! Serve immediately.
