Fried fish with corn sauce is a common dish in Cantonese restaurants. At the inexpensive places, you’ll get fried frozen fillets with a cloying, too-thick creamed corn sauce straight out of a can.

If you love salted fish, use more. Even in its purest forms – steamed with lots of shredded ginger, or fried and served with a dipping sauce of pepper, salt and fresh lime juice – you should ...