Prepare ingredients and remove fishy odor with white vinegar, which also works well for loach.
Cut the fish with two crosswise slashes and remove cucumber pulp before cutting into sections.
Prepare seasonings: skip scallions and cilantro if unavailable. Cut ginger into chunks, mince garlic, chili, and one star anise.
Create sauce with minced garlic paste, Pixian doubanjiang, a spoon of chopped chili, substituting missing ingredients with yellow bean paste and fermented black bean sauce.
Clean the fish, pat dry with paper towels, and coat lightly with starch. Prepare a small piece of smoked meat or use lard.
Arrange all seasonings before cooking. Fry the fish until crispy and set aside.
Heat sesame oil and lard in a wok, then sauté yellow bean paste, doubanjiang, and fermented black bean sauce until red oil emerges.
Add prepared seasonings and stir-fry until fragrant. Return the fish to the wok.
After stir-frying, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, then pour in beer and hot water. Drizzle with aromatic vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes.
Incorporate cucumber sections and stir-fry briefly.
Place a small claypot over heat with oil, then layer with garlic, ginger, and chili. Transfer the fish and cucumber mixture into the claypot for slow simmering until tender.
Before serving, garnish with scallions, cilantro, and chili, then drizzle with sesame oil. Omit chili for a non-spicy version.
This dish combines protein and vegetables for a nutritious and flavorful meal.