Sweet and Sour Fish

Sweet and Sour Fish

Sweet and Sour Fish

If you want to impress people at a dinner party, I highly recommend serving sweet and sour fish. It is a very popular dish for Chinese New Years, festivals, and family gatherings. Traditionally served as a whole fish, this recipe will use fish fillets, since frying a whole fish is difficult in home kitchens. With that being said, it is nothing short of flavor and presentation. The fish fillets get cross hatch cuts slit into them. When breaded and fried, it has a “blossoming” look to the fillets. Then a simple sweet and sour sauce with bell peppers and onions is poured over the fish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Chinese, East Asian, fish, main course
Servings: 2
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fish fillets tilapia, swai, snapper, catfish, sea bass
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar vinegar
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp chili garlic sauce
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Stir Fry

  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1” ginger peeled and julienned
  • 1/4 large green bell pepper sliced
  • 1/4 large red bell pepper sliced
  • 1/2 small white onion sliced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Garnish

  • toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Make cross hatch cuts 1/4” deep into the flesh of the fish fillets.
    Chinese, main course, fish
  • Coat the fish fillets in cornstarch seasoned with salt and white pepper.
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  • Heat up 1” of cooking oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Gently place the fish into the oil. Fry for 5 minutes a side until golden brown.
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  • Drain the grease on a rack. Place the fish on a serving plate.
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  • Mix all of the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
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  • Sauté the onions in a sauté pan over medium high heat for 3 minutes.
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  • Add in the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute.
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  • Pour in the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil.
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  • As the sauce starts to thicken, add in the bell peppers. Cook for 1 more minute.
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Chinese, main course, fish
Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Chinese, main course, fish
Sweet and sour fish and house special fried rice is a perfect pair.