珊瑚桂鱼
A mandarin fish is scored and deep-fried until crispy outside and tender inside, then topped with a bright red sweet-and-sour coral sauce—a banquet classic.
Ingredients
12 items- Mandarin fish (perch) 1 (approx. 500g)
- Ketchup 3 tbsp
- Sugar 2 tbsp
- White vinegar 1 tbsp
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Cornstarch as needed
- Egg white 1
- Ginger 3 slices
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Cooking oil as needed
- Water as needed
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Clean the fish. Make deep diagonal cuts on both sides (4-5 per side) down to the bone, without cutting through.
Rub fish with cooking wine, salt, ginger slices, and scallion sections. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Beat egg white. Coat fish lightly with cornstarch, then brush with egg white, covering all cuts.
Heat oil in a wok to 180°C. Hold the fish tail and spoon hot oil over the cuts to open them; then deep-fry over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain.
In another pan, sauté minced ginger in a little oil. Add ketchup, sugar, vinegar and a splash of water. Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch slurry until the sauce coats a spoon.
Place fried fish on a plate, pour the sauce over, garnish with chopped scallions, and serve immediately.
Tips
Pouring hot oil over the cuts during frying helps the skin curl into coral-like patterns. Adjust sweet-sour ratio to taste. Do not over-thicken the sauce; a light glaze is best.
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