Grape Fish
The fish is cut into a cross pattern, fried to resemble a bunch of grapes, then coated with a sweet and sour grape sauce. Crispy outside and tender inside, a classic Anhui dish.
Ingredients
17 items- Grass carp or common carp 1 (about 750g)
- Grape juice 100 ml
- Ketchup 30 g
- Sugar 40 g
- White vinegar 20 ml
- Salt 5 g
- Cooking wine 15 ml
- Egg 1
- Cornstarch 50 g
- All-purpose flour 30 g
- Baking powder 2 g
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Scallions 2
- Vegetable oil as needed
- Raisins 20 g
- Green peas 20 g
- Water starch (slurry) as needed
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Clean and fillet the carp, keeping the skin. Cut cross-hatch pattern on the fish flesh side, deep to skin but not breaking. Marinate with salt, cooking wine, ginger, scallions for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk egg, add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and gradually add water to make a thick smooth batter. Rest for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine grape juice, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and water starch. Mix well to make the sauce.
Heat oil in wok to 180°C (350°F). Coat fish pieces evenly with batter, carefully place skin-side up into oil. Fry over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until light golden, then turn and fry 3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove.
Increase oil temperature to 200°C (400°F). Deep-fry the fish again for 1 minute until crispy and deep gold. Drain and arrange on a plate to resemble grape clusters.
Leave a little oil in wok, sauté minced ginger, pour in the sauce. Cook over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in water starch to thicken until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add a little oil for shine.
Pour the sauce evenly over the fried fish. Garnish with softened raisins and cooked green peas. Serve immediately.
Tips
Key points: The cross-hatch cuts must reach but not break the skin to form grape shapes. Adding baking powder to the batter gives a crispier texture. Double-frying ensures long-lasting crispness. The grape sauce should be balanced sweet and sour – if using concentrate, dilute accordingly.
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