Suan tang yu (Guizhou sour soup fish)

Method

1. 1 Mix rice flour with warm water, cover loosely, and let it ferment in a warm place for two days to produce the characteristic white sour liquid of the Miao people.
2. 2 Sauté minced ginger and garlic in oil, then add ground chili peppers, pickled salt, and sliced tomatoes, and stir-fry for 5 minutes until they turn bright red.
3. 3 Pour the sour water and filtered water into a pot, boil for 10 minutes, then season with salt to taste.
4. 4 Place the scaled and chopped carp into the pot and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes until the fish is cooked through but not mushy.
5. 5 Add the diced tofu and cook for another 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorns, green onions, and cilantro, then serve in a bowl.

With an appliance

• Oven 40 min

  Replace step 4: arrange the fish in a heat-resistant pot, pour in the red sour sauce, cover, and cook on the middle rack of the oven at 180 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove the pot before adding the tofu from step 5 and cook for another 3 minutes on the stovetop to prevent the fish from breaking apart.