Sweet and Sour Fish Recipe
This sweet and sour fish recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare, yet it always leaves me feeling thoroughly satisfied. Picture crispy fish generously coated in a delectable sweet and sour sauce—absolutely delicious!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 whole fish about 300 g
- 2 cups oil for deep frying
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 onion quartered
- 1 small green bell pepper about 3 oz/80 g, cut into pieces
- 1 red chilli seeded and sliced
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce I used Lingham's Chili Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar or apple cider vinegar to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar to taste
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Clean the fish, wash it under cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Score three slanted slits on both sides of the fish to help it cook faster and get a crispier texture when deep frying.
- Heat up a wok or skillet with 2 cups of oil, deep enough for frying. Deep-fry the fish until both sides are golden brown and crispy, then drain the excess oil on a serving plate lined with paper towels.
- Prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to mix everything together, then set it aside.
- Heat up a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, green bell peppers, and red chilies. Stir-fry until they become aromatic.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine it well with the aromatics. Then, add the water and sugar, stirring until everything is mixed thoroughly.
- Remove the paper towel from the plate and pour the sauce evenly over the fish. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- For the best results, buy fresh whole fish such as snapper, rock cod, grouper, or striped bass. Clean the whole fish, wash it under cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Score three slanted slits on both sides of the fish to help it cook faster and get a crispier texture when deep frying.
- If you cannot get fresh whole fish, you can use fish fillets. Just dust and coat them with flour before deep frying. This will help ensure that the fillets don’t break apart during frying and hold their shape better.
- Heat the oil to around 350°F/175°C before frying the fish. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping in a small piece of bread; if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
- Save for oil from deep frying in an air tight container. You may reuse the oil for a few more times before discarding.
For the stir fry, use clean oil. - Mix the sweet and sour sauce before cooking. Adjust the sweetness and tanginess to your preference by adding more sugar and vinegar. You can taste and modify it before cooking.
- You may incorporate fresh aromatics such as ginger, garlic, and scallions in the stir-fry before adding the sweet and sour sauce. Ginger, garlic and scallions enhance fragrance and flavor, making the final dish even more delicious!
Nutrition
Serving: 4people | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg