Nourilo

Home-Style Dishes

Vinegar-Braised White Cod (Cu Liu Bai Xue Yu)

supports calcium absorption, light and nutritious everyday fish dish

In short: Vinegar-Braised White Cod (Cu Liu Bai Xue Yu) is a home-style dishe that supports calcium absorption, light and nutritious everyday fish dish. It is most often made for everyday balance. Total time about 30 min. Key ingredients: cloud ear fungus, ginger, minced, pure rice vinegar, rice wine.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Makes
2 servings
Everyday Balance
Vinegar-Braised White Cod (Cu Liu Bai Xue Yu)

Why people make this dish

Cooking fish with vinegar is one of those clever old techniques that turns out to have a solid nutritional rationale: the mild acidity helps dissolve calcium from the fish bones into the cooking liquid, making more of it available to the body. Nourilo came across white cod at the morning fish stall and was reminded of a vinegar-braised silver cod dish he had enjoyed at a well-known restaurant — the restaurant version was on the sweet side, so he put together his own, lighter take at home. White cod (bai xue yu) is a deep-sea fish prized for its silky, delicate texture, which makes it ideal for a quick pan-braise where you do not want the flesh to toughen. The addition of cloud ear fungus and sweet peppers rounds out the colour and gives a pleasant contrast of textures.

Method

  1. Soak the dried cloud ear fungus in cold water until fully softened. Remove the tough stems and set aside.
  2. Cut the red and yellow peppers into small pieces. Mince the ginger. Chop the parsley or spring onion.
  3. Cut the white cod into pieces and marinate briefly with a pinch of white pepper, a splash of rice wine, and a small amount of cornstarch.
  4. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and stir until fragrant. Add the cod pieces and pan-fry lightly on each side until just golden. Remove and set aside.
  5. In the same pan, add the cloud ear fungus and sweet peppers and stir-fry until fragrant and slightly softened.
  6. Add the combined sauce ingredients (rice vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce, pepper, and a little water). Bring to a simmer.
  7. Return the fish pieces to the pan. Allow the sauce to bubble and coat the fish.
  8. Scatter over the chopped parsley or spring onion and serve immediately.

Nourilo’s Tips

Add the vinegar toward the end of cooking, or just before you add the fish back to the sauce — this preserves the fragrant aroma of the vinegar, which dissipates quickly with prolonged heat. Good-quality pure rice vinegar (or aged Shanxi chen cu if you can find it) makes a noticeable difference to the depth of flavour.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Rice wine / alcohol: This recipe contains alcohol. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the NHS recommends not drinking alcohol; leave it out or choose another recipe. Source: NHS — Alcohol in pregnancy

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

Spot an error? Report a correction

Frequently asked questions

Why is vinegar used in this braised cod recipe?

Cooking fish with vinegar is a traditional method: the mild acidity helps dissolve calcium from the fish bones into the cooking liquid, making more of it available to the body. This is the core rationale behind the dish.

What makes white cod a good choice for this quick braise?

White cod (bai xue yu) is a deep-sea fish prized for its silky, delicate texture, which makes it ideal for a quick pan-braise where you do not want the flesh to toughen.

How many servings does this recipe make, and how long does it take?

The recipe yields 2 servings. Preparation takes about 15 minutes and cooking takes another 15 minutes, for a total time of around 30 minutes.

When should the vinegar be added during cooking?

Add the vinegar toward the end of cooking, or just before you return the fish to the sauce. This preserves the fragrant aroma of the vinegar, which dissipates quickly with prolonged heat.

What role do cloud ear fungus and sweet peppers play in this dish?

The addition of cloud ear fungus and red and yellow sweet peppers rounds out the colour and gives a pleasant contrast of textures alongside the tender fish.

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