Sweet and Sour Fish (糖醋鱼)

This Chinese sweet and sour fish recipe uses fish fillets to create a stunning presentation while keeping the cooking process as easy as possible. The fish is shallow-fried until super crispy and then drizzled with a rich and aromatic sauce that is loaded with colorful peppers. It’s a perfect dish to serve at your dinner party, for Chinese New Year, or for other Chinese festivals. {Gluten-Free Adaptable} To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos to replace soy sauce. Use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Ingredients

• 4 fillets (1.5 to 2 lbs / 700 to 900 g) white fish ( , skin-on preferred (catfish, bass, perch, trout, and snapper are suitable))
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 inch ginger (, sliced into thin strips)
• 4 cloves garlic (, sliced)
• 2 tablespoons shaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Vegetable oil (for shallow frying)
• 1 bell pepper (, sliced)
• 1/4 yellow onion (, sliced)
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish ((Optional))

Instructions

0. Prep
1. Mix the fish coating ingredients in a tray or plate that is large enough to hold one fish fillet.
2. Mix the sauce ingredients in a big bowl. Stir to mix well.
3. Score the fish by slicing a 1” (2.5 cm) crosshatch pattern across the flesh. If using skin-on fish, cut to the skin but not through it. If using skinless fish, cut through about 2/3 of the fillets so the fillets won’t fall apart.
4. Cook the fish
5. Prepare a roasting rack over a big tray, for the cooked fish fillets.
6. In a deep-sided pan that’s large enough to hold one fish fillet, heat 1” (2.5 cm) of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C). If you’re using smaller fish fillets, you can use as little as 1/2” (1.2 cm) of oil, as long as it covers 2/3 of the fish.
7. Only coat as much fish as you can fry at a time. Place the fish skin-side-down in the tray with the cornstarch mixture. Use a spoon to add more mixture on top. Carefully lift the fillet using your hand to shake off the extra cornstarch and make sure there’s cornstarch between the diamond cuts.
8. As soon as the fish is coated, glenty lay it, flesh-side-down, into the heated oil. Cook without touching until the bottom turns golden, 3 minutes for smaller fish, and 4 minutes or so for larger fish. Flip and cook the other side, for another 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Once done, transfer the fillet to the tray lined with the rack to drain the extra oil.
10. Cook the sauce
11. In a medium-sized frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat until hot. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir to release the fragrance, 30 seconds or so.
12. Add the onion. Stir a few times.
13. Stir the sauce mixture again to thoroughly dissolve the cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Stir and cook to bring the sauce to a boil.
14. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, add the bell peppers. Stir a few times until the sauce thickens. Immediately transfer the sauce into a bowl.
15. Serve
16. Plate the fish on a large tray or on individual serving plates. Add the sauce along with the pepper and onion onto each fillet. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.