Squirrel Mandarin Fish

Name: Squirrel Mandarin Fish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1500 g Live whole cleaned Mandarin Fish; 5 g Cooked River Shrimp Meat; 10 g Cooked Bamboo Shoots (diced); 10 g Soaked Winter Mushrooms (diced); 10 g Green Peas; 15 g Tomato Paste; 10 g Refined Salt; 40 g White Sugar; 30 g Shaoxing Wine; 150 g Pork Broth; 15 g Minced Garlic; 100 g Starch (dry starch for coating); 60 g Aromatic Vinegar; 1500 g Hot Oil (for frying)

A classic famous dish of Jiangsu cuisine, Squirrel Mandarin Fish is prepared by scoring the fish, deep-frying it to a distinctive squirrel shape, then coating it with a sweet and sour tomato sauce for a crispy exterior and tender, juicy interior.

35 min

Easy

0 favorites

Ingredients

Live whole cleaned Mandarin Fish 1500 g

Cooked River Shrimp Meat 5 g

Cooked Bamboo Shoots (diced) 10 g

Soaked Winter Mushrooms (diced) 10 g

Green Peas 10 g

Tomato Paste 15 g

Refined Salt 10 g

White Sugar 40 g

Shaoxing Wine 30 g

Pork Broth 150 g

Minced Garlic 15 g

Starch (dry starch for coating) 100 g

Aromatic Vinegar 60 g

Hot Oil (for frying) 1500 g

Instructions

Prepare the Fish

Clean the fish thoroughly. Slice off the fish head diagonally at the level of the pectoral fins, split the underside of the fish head, and gently pound it flat. Then cut along both sides of the spine down to the tail, keeping the tail intact. Remove the spine and chest bones. Make diamond-shaped cuts on the flesh side: first straight cuts, then angled cuts, cutting deep to the skin.

Marinate and Coat

Mix Shaoxing wine and refined salt evenly in a bowl, rub the mixture all over the fish head and fish flesh, then coat with dry starch.

Initial Fry to Set Shape

Heat oil to 70% heat (approximately 170°C). Lift the fish to shake off excess dry starch, curl the flesh upwards and lift the tail to form a squirrel shape. Hold the tail with one hand, use chopsticks to grip the other end and place it in the oil to fry for about 20 seconds to set the shape. Then release the fish into the oil, add the fish head at the same time, and fry until pale yellow before removing.

Refry Until Golden Brown

When the oil temperature rises to 80% heat (approximately 200°C), put the fish back in to refry until golden brown. Remove and place on a long rectangular plate, attach the fish head, and gently fluff the fish flesh to make it crispy.

Make and Pour the Sauce

Take another wok, heat oil, add shrimp meat to blanch. Return the wok to heat, add more oil, fry scallion whites until the scallions turn yellow and fragrant. Add minced garlic and diced ingredients, stir-fry. Add tomato paste, refined salt, white sugar, Shaoxing wine, and pork broth, bring to a boil. Thicken with water starch, add aromatic vinegar, drizzle with hot oil, then pour the sauce over the fish. Top with cooked shrimp meat to serve.