Chrysanthemum Fish

Name: Chrysanthemum Fish
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1, about 1250 g Grass carp (cleaned and dressed, two fillets); 5 g Refined salt; 1 g MSG; 50 g Tomato ketchup; 5 g Minced ginger; 50 g White vinegar; 15 g Shaoxing wine; 20 g Wet cornstarch; 5 g Minced garlic; 10 g Dry cornstarch (for dusting); 10 g Sesame oil; 5 g Ginger juice water; 1500 g Vegetable oil (for frying)

A traditional iconic dish from Zhejiang province, Chrysanthemum Fish is prepared by scoring grass carp fillets in crosshatch patterns before frying, yielding a crisp golden exterior, tender juicy interior, and bright sour-aromatic, crisp flavor.

35 min

Easy

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Ingredients

Grass carp (cleaned and dressed, two fillets) 1, about 1250 g

Refined salt 5 g

MSG 1 g

Tomato ketchup 50 g

Minced ginger 5 g

White vinegar 50 g

Shaoxing wine 15 g

Wet cornstarch 20 g

Minced garlic 5 g

Dry cornstarch (for dusting) 10 g

Sesame oil 10 g

Ginger juice water 5 g

Vegetable oil (for frying) 1500 g

Instructions

Cut and Marinate

Clean and dress the fish. Take the two fillets and cut into 4 cm cubes. With the skin side down, score a crosshatch (chrysanthemum) pattern with a straight knife. Place in a bowl, add MSG, Shaoxing wine, refined salt, and ginger juice water, mix well, and marinate for 10 minutes. Then remove the fish pieces, dust them with dry cornstarch, and set aside.

Prepare Sauce

Take a small bowl, add sugar, tomato ketchup, vinegar, and wet cornstarch, mix into a smooth sauce, and set aside.

Deep-Fry Fish

Place a wok over high heat, add hot oil, and heat to about 175°C (roughly 70% hot). Shake off any loose cornstarch from the fish pieces, drop them into the oil, fry briefly, then remove. Once the oil temperature recovers, fry the fish a second time, then remove and arrange on a plate.

Pour Sauce and Serve

Leave a thin layer of oil in the original wok, add minced ginger and minced garlic, and stir-fry to release their aroma. Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a boil. Drizzle a little hot oil over the chrysanthemum fish to finish.