Xinping Dipping Sauce Tilapia Soup

Prepare the soup ingredients: Smash the ginger, slice the Chinese black cardamom in half and peel it (keeping the peel), and measure out the Sichuan peppercorns. Thinly slice the carrot and prepare the romaine lettuce pieces.

Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil (lard preferred) in a pot or wok over a medium-low flame. Add the ginger, Chinese black cardamom, and Sichuan peppercorns. Fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour in 1 liter of cool water and bring it to a boil. Add the sliced carrots. If making the Xinping style soup, add the chopped whole tilapia (750g) to the pot. If making the Western style soup, add 200g of pork ribs instead of the whole fish.

For the Xinping style soup, cover and cook for 2 minutes after it gets to a boil. For the Western style soup (with pork ribs), cover and cook for 15 minutes after it gets to a boil.

After the cooking time, season the soup with 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp MSG, 0.125 tsp chicken bouillon powder, and 0.5 tsp white pepper. Stir until dissolved.

Add the romaine lettuce to the soup and let it barely wilt. For the Xinping style soup, transfer all ingredients to a serving bowl. For the Western style soup, remove the pork ribs, carrots, and lettuce to a serving bowl, leaving the soup in the pot.

If making the Western style soup, quickly marinate 350g of tilapia fillets with 0.125 tsp salt and 1 tsp peanut oil, mixing well. With the soup in the pot back at a heavy simmer, gently add the marinated fish fillets. Cook for about 30 seconds until they change color, then remove them and gently lay them onto the ribs and vegetables in the serving bowl.

To prepare the Sizzling Chili Oil Dip: In a bowl, combine 6g chopped mint, 6g chopped cilantro, 6g chopped culantro (or more cilantro), 2 minced spicy fresh chilies, 10g minced garlic, 0.5 tbsp soy sauce, 0.25 tsp MSG, 0.125 tsp salt, and 0.125 tsp chicken bouillon powder.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan until smoking (about 220°C). Let it cool down to about 180°C. Add 0.5 tbsp chili flake (toasted or smoked preferred) and 0.5 tbsp red fragrant chili powder (like Kashmiri or Gochugaru) to the hot oil and stir.

Pour the sizzling oil mixture into the bowl with the herbs and seasonings. Add 60ml of your fish soup and mix well. This completes the Sizzling Chili Oil Dip.

To prepare the Herbaceous Dip: In a separate bowl, combine 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp MSG, 0.25 tsp Sichuan pepper powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 15g chopped scallion, 20g minced cilantro, 20g minced culantro (or more cilantro), 3 minced spicy fresh chilies, 20g minced garlic, 2 tsp chili flake (toasted or smoked preferred), and 0.5 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.

Add about 120ml of your fish soup to the herbaceous dip mixture and mix well. This completes the Herbaceous Dip.

Serve the hot fish soup with your choice of dipping sauces. Dip pieces of fish and vegetables into the sauces and enjoy.