Stewed Yellow Croaker with Garlic (Suàn Zǐ Mén Huáng Yú)

A home-style dish that exemplifies the comforting, savory flavors of Shandong cooking. A whole yellow croaker (or sections of it) is pan-fried first to seal in moisture and create a flavorful base. It is then stewed (焖, mèn) with a generous amount of whole garlic cloves, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar. The slow stewing allows the fish to become flaky and tender while absorbing the flavors of the aromatics. The garlic cloves soften dramatically, becoming sweet, mellow, and paste-like, losing their sharpness and adding a deep, savory-sweet complexity to the sauce. The resulting broth is rich, slightly viscous, and incredibly flavorful, perfect for spooning over rice.