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5.0 from 81 votes

Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish

I used Pacific rockfish here, but you could use any relatively firm, white fish. I'd suggest anything from walleye to striped bass to redfish to grouper, snapper, black seabass, catfish, smallmouth bass, halibut -- hell, even carp would be good with this if you chunk it and remove any bones. This doesn't keep, so you pretty much need to eat it when it's ready.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 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 or 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying
SAUCE
  • 1/2 cup chicken or fish stock, or clam juice
  • 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 skinless fish, cut into into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil, lard or vegetable oil
  • 8 dried hot chiles, use less if you don’t want it spicy, broken in half and seeds shaken out
  • A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Stir in the chives and sesame oil and serve at once with steamed rice.

Notes

  • NOTE: This is one of those few Chinese wok dishes that you can double; most stir-fries need to be done in batches or they won't cook right. So that makes this recipe great for a crowd.
  • NOTE: This is one of those few Chinese wok dishes that you can double; most stir-fries need to be done in batches or they won't cook right. So that makes this recipe great for a crowd.

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 (22%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 615IU (12%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 41mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

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.