5 from 54 votes
Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish
Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish features pieces of fish coated in a potato starch and egg marinade, which are deep-fried until golden and crispy. The fish is then stir-fried with dried chilies, garlic, ginger, and chives before being tossed in a tangy sauce made of chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, black vinegar, and tomato paste. This recipe balances savory, sweet, and mildly spicy flavors with a crisp and tender texture, making it suitable to serve as a flavorful main dish in a Chinese-inspired meal.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings:
4
people
Calories:
370 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Chinese
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.
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370
% 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.