Crispy Golden Fish

Name: Crispy Golden Fish
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 750 g Yellow croaker (scaled, gilled, gutted, washed clean, and scored); 20 g Winter bamboo shoots (cut into small diamond slices); 20 g Dried winter mushrooms (cut into small diamond slices); 15 g Ham (cut into small diamond slices); 15 g Green peas; 15 g Shaoxing wine (part used for marinating); 5 g Fine salt (part used for marinating); 15 g Egg whites (beaten into foam); 30 g Starch (likely referring to starch); 50 g Cooked pork lard; 100 g Clear broth; 3 g Chicken fat; to taste Dry starch (amount not specified; used to coat head/tail and make egg foam batter)

A Shandong-style dish featuring yellow croaker, with the head and tail deep-fried separately and the fish meat coated in egg-white foam batter before frying. The pieces are reassembled into a whole-fish shape and finished with a poured sauce. The dish has a clean white color and a tender, silky texture.

45 min

Easy

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Ingredients

Yellow croaker (scaled, gilled, gutted, washed clean, and scored) 750 g

Winter bamboo shoots (cut into small diamond slices) 20 g

Dried winter mushrooms (cut into small diamond slices) 20 g

Ham (cut into small diamond slices) 15 g

Green peas 15 g

Shaoxing wine (part used for marinating) 15 g

Fine salt (part used for marinating) 5 g

Egg whites (beaten into foam) 15 g

Starch (likely referring to starch) 30 g

Cooked pork lard 50 g

Clear broth 100 g

Chicken fat 3 g

Dry starch (amount not specified; used to coat head/tail and make egg foam batter) to taste

Instructions

Preparing the fish shape

Remove the scales, gills, and innards from the yellow croaker and wash it clean. Cut off the fish head at the lower edge of the gill cover, then split the head from the chin while keeping the back side connected. Cut off the tail at the navel area of the tail. Coat the head and tail evenly with dry starch and set aside.

Preparing the fish fillets

Slice off the fish meat, remove the pin bones, and cut the fish meat into pieces 4 cm long, 2 cm wide, and 0.4 cm thick. Place in a bowl, add Shaoxing wine and fine salt, and marinate to absorb the flavors.

Preparing ingredients and batter

Cut winter bamboo shoots, dried winter mushrooms, and ham all into small diamond slices. Place egg whites in a soup bowl, beat with chopsticks into foam, add dry starch and mix well. Set aside.

Frying

Add cooked pork lard to a wok and heat over medium flame until about 40% hot (approximately 88°C). Coat the fish slices evenly with the egg foam batter and fry them one by one until cooked through, then remove. Also fry the fish head and tail until cooked through, remove, and arrange at the two ends of the fish platter. Place the fish slices in the middle to form a fish shape.

Pouring sauce

Add clear broth to a soup pot, then add winter bamboo shoots, dried winter mushrooms, ham, green peas, Shaoxing wine, and fine salt. Once boiling, thicken with wet starch, drizzle with chicken oil, and pour over the fish. Serve.