Sweet-and-Sour Snapper

Name: Sweet-and-Sour Snapper
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 10 ml/2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 45 ml/3 tbsp water; 1 spring onion, cut into 2.5cm/1in lengths, plus extra, to garnish; 15 ml/1 tbsp crushed garlic; oil for deep- and shallow-frying; 15 ml/1 tbsp thinly sliced root ginger; 30 ml/2 tbsp thinly sliced bamboo shoots; ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 60 ml/4 tbsp Kao Liang wine vinegar; 15 ml/1 tbsp sugar; 15 ml/1 tbsp light soy sauce; 4 dried Chinese black mushrooms; 1 whole snapper or similar fish, about 800 g/1¾ lb, cleaned and scaled; 45 ml/3 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch; 15 ml/1 tbsp salt; 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup water or stock

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

China

By Terry Tan

Published 2020

About

Originating in the northern region of Shandong, this dish turns up on most regional menus and is a popular dish in Cantonese cooking. Comprising simply a whole deep-fried fish served with a medley of vegetables, it is distinguished by the sauce. This is based on Kao Liang wine vinegar, which is made from sorghum and millet grains.

Ingredients

4 dried Chinese black mushrooms
1 whole snapper or similar fish, about 800 g/

Asia
China
Cantonese
Guangzhou
Fish course
Pescatarian

Method

Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of boiling water for 20–30 minutes, until soft.
Meanwhile, rinse the fish inside and out, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Make deep cuts diagonally across both sides of the fish. Rub with the salt, rinse again and pat dry. Dust the fish all over with the cornflour.
Heat the oil in a wok that is large enough to hold the fi