Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
370 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish
Description
Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish starts by marinating bite-sized pieces of fish in a mixture of potato starch, egg yolks, and soy sauce to create a light coating that crisps up beautifully upon frying. The fish is deep-fried in hot oil until golden and then drained. The wok is partially cleaned by pouring off most of the oil, leaving some to stir-fry aromatics like dried chilies, ginger, garlic, and chives, which infuse the dish with fragrance and a gentle heat. The fried fish is returned to the wok and coated with a sauce combining chicken stock, soy, sugar, black vinegar, and tomato paste, which offers a balance of sweet, sour, and umami notes.
The sauce clings to the crisp fish pieces, providing a sticky and flavorful glaze. This dish is ideal served alongside steamed rice or simple stir-fried vegetables to complement its rich and tangy profile. Its method of frying fish separately and stir-frying the aromatics with sauce allows you to control texture contrasts between the crispy exterior and tender fish.
You can double this recipe to serve a larger group since the frying can be done in batches without sacrificing the cooking quality. The marinade and sauce components are straightforward, making it accessible for home cooks looking to replicate a classic Chinese-style sweet and sour seafood dish.
Ingredients
MARINADE
- 4 tablespoons potato starch or corn starch
- 2 egg 3 yolks
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
SAUCE
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or clam juice, or fish stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar or more if you want it sweet
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or malt vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon potato or corn starch
STIR-FRY
- 1 1/2 pounds fish cut into into bite-sized pieces, skinless
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil lard or vegetable oil
- 8 dried hot chile use less if you don’t want it spicy, broken in half and seeds shaken out
- ginger peeled and minced, 2-inch piece
- 3 garlic sliced thin, cloves
- 3 tablespoons chives chopped
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade together (except for the oil) and then mix in the chunks of fish. Make sure they are all well coated, and set it aside while you chop everything else. Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce and set it aside.
- Heat the 3 cups of oil in a wok or deep frying pan until it's about 350°F. If you don't have a thermometer, you'll know the oil is hot enough when a bit of flour flicked into it sizzles instantly. Get a baking sheet or tray handy and line it with paper towels. Fry the fish in two or three batches, separating the pieces of fish the moment they hit the hot oil. Cook until they turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and let them drain on the paper towels.
- When the fish is done, carefully pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chiles, ginger and garlic and stir-fry over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the fish and stir fry for a few seconds, then pour over the sauce ingredients -- be sure to stir the sauce before you pour it in because the starch will tend to settle to the bottom. Let this boil furiously for 1 minute, then turn off the heat.
- Stir in the chives and sesame oil and serve at once with steamed rice.
Notes
- This dish can be doubled and cooked in batches to serve a larger crowd without losing quality.
- Use potato starch for the marinade for the best crispy finish, though corn starch is a suitable substitute.
- Control the heat by adjusting the amount of dried chiles according to taste.
- Serve immediately after cooking to keep the fish crisp.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 370kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 183mg | 61% |
| Sodium | 673mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 757mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 615IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 41mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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