Sweet and sour fish

Guy Coombes

You will find many of the ingredients in local Asian stores. Don’t be put off by names you don’t recognise, like shaoxing or Chinese rice cooking wine; sherry, or any other rice wine, will suffice. If you cannot find potato flour, cornflour is fine, (although potato flour will create a crisper result and when used for thickening the sauce will be richer and clearer). A good wok is a worthwhile investment for quick and efficient cooking of Asian food. Sugar and vinegar, with the help of garlic and ginger, gives saucy sweet and sour fish a tasty punch. I have used hoki as it is nice and thick and holds together well, but any white fish will do. I serve it with a slightly chewy brown rice, which complements the softness of the fish.

Ingredients

¼ cup	Sugar
1 Tbsp	Soy sauce
1 Tbsp	Oyster sauce
2 Tbsp	White vinegar
½ tsp	Salt
2 tsp	Potato flour, and extra to dust
½ cup	Stock, or water
2 Tbsp	Oil
500 g	White fish, cut into 2cm chunks (Main)
2 cloves	Garlic, sliced
1 tsp	Grated ginger
1	Carrot, sliced into fine sticks
1	Spring onion, sliced

Directions

1. In a small jug combine sugar, soy, oyster sauce, vinegar, salt, potato flour and stock.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan (or cook in two batches in a smaller one). Toss fish generously in potato flour and fry for 4 minutes each side or until cooked. Don't be tempted to turn over too early or it will stick. Remove fish.
3. Add sauce to pan, stirring carefully until thickened. Return fish and serve straight on to a serving plate.
4. Toss garlic, ginger, carrot and spring onion in a little oil in a small frying pan for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Place on top of the fish.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Check out more of Angela's Asian recipes

• Black beans with chicken and peppers
• Pork and noodles in mushroom broth