Braised Flounder with Zucchini Leaves
Summer Delicacy! The Fantastic Harmony of Tender Zucchini Leaves and Chewy Flounder: How to Make Flounder Stew
The saying ‘Even a rotten flounderer is still flounderer’ refers to how the fish retains its shape even after death due to its strong bones, or perhaps because of its delicious taste. It is indeed very bony, making it slightly inconvenient to eat. Fortunately, the small bones are soft, so if you carefully pick them out, they are less intimidating than tough ones. I previously bought a basket of flounderer, salted it for 1-2 hours, drained it on a sieve, and air-dried it for about a day until slightly firm before freezing. I used these frozen fish to make a braised dish. While radish is a classic pairing for braised fish, summer radishes aren’t always in season, and I didn’t have any at home. So, I opted for seasonal vegetables: potatoes, onions, and zucchini leaves, to make this flounder stew. Instead of making zucchini leaf wraps, we can wrap the flaky flounder meat with the braised zucchini leaves and dip them into the rich sauce – it’s heavenly! When you make fish stew, not only is the fish delicious, but the vegetables, thoroughly simmered in the flavorful sauce blended with the fish’s essence, are equally delightful. Enjoying the well-cooked potatoes or onions, or eating them with the zucchini leaves, feels like a perfect seasonal dish for summer. While I made this with flounder and zucchini leaves, you can certainly use the same sauce and ingredients with other types of fish and enjoy a similarly delicious braised dish.
Main Ingredients- 3 flounderer, prepared (used pre-scaled and frozen ones)
- 7-10 zucchini leaves
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium potato
- 1/2 stalk of green onion
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the pre-scaled and frozen flounderer lightly under cold water. (If using fresh flounder, scale it thoroughly, remove the guts, and then rinse under cold water.)
Step 2
Peel the onion and cut it into large chunks. Peel the potato and cut it into similarly sized pieces as the onion. Wash the zucchini leaves clean. Slice the green and red chili peppers diagonally and remove the seeds. (You can use blanched zucchini leaves or fresh ones.)
Step 3
Place the large chunks of onion and potato at the bottom of a pot. Arrange the prepared flounderer on top.
Step 4
Pour the mixed seasoning ingredients (soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, red pepper flakes, plum extract, minced garlic, minced ginger) over the fish. Then, carefully pour in 350ml of water around the edges of the pot.
Step 5
Cover the fish with the prepared zucchini leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Midway through cooking, lift the lid and spoon some of the sauce over the fish and zucchini leaves to enhance the flavor. Add the sliced chili peppers and simmer for a little longer until done. This dish is best enjoyed with the tender fish, flavorful vegetables, and the fragrant zucchini leaves all simmered together in the savory broth.
