Sweet-Sour Fish Recipe | Chinese Seafood
Ingredients
- 1 sea bass, gray mullet or carp, weighing about 2 lbs, cleaned
- 1 tbsp dry sherry
- Few slices fresh ginger
- ½ cup sugar
- 7 tbsps cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 green onions, shredded
- 1 small carrot, peeled and finely shredded
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, shredded
Instructions
- #In China this dish is almost always prepared with freshwater fish, but sea bass is also an excellent choice.# Rinse the fish well inside and out. Make three diagonal cuts on each side of the fish with a sharp knife.
- Trim off the fins, leaving the dorsal fin on top.
- Trim the tail to two neat points.
- Bring enough water to cover the fish to boil in a wok. Gently lower the fish into the boiling water and add the sherry and ginger. Cover the wok tightly and remove at once from the heat. Allow to stand 15-20 minutes to let the fish cook in the-residual heat.
- To test if the fish is cooked, pull the dorsal fin – if it comes off easily the fish is done. If not, return the wok to the heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave the fish to stand a further 5 minutes. Transfer the fish to a heated serving dish and keep it warm.
- Take all but 4 tbsps of the fish cooking liquid from the wok. Add the remaining ingredients including the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Spoon some of the sauce over the fish to serve and serve the rest separately. #TIME# Preparation takes about 25 minutes, cooking takes about 15-25 minutes. #COOK’S TIP# The diagonal cuts in the side of the fish ensure even cooking. #VARIATION# If desired, use smaller fish such as trout or red mullet and shorten the cooking time to 10-15 minutes. #PREPARATION# The fish may also be cooked in the oven in a large roasting pan or in greased foil sprinkled with sherry. Cook at 375°F for 10 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness, measured around the middle of the fish.