Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish

Name: Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 mandarin fish (approx 1.2 kg); 50 g bamboo shoots; 50 g shiitake mushrooms; 25 g fresh peas; 90 g egg white; 800 g cooking oil (approx 200 g); 25 g cooking wine; 15 g scallion; 15 g ginger; 15 g garlic; 10 g salt; 10 g flour; 4 g MSG; 120 g sugar; 50 g rice vinegar; 25 g soy sauce; 100 g water chestnut starch; 15 g wet starch; 150 g chicken broth

A signature Zhejiang dish with a golden hue and a distinctive squirrel-like shape. Crispy on the outside and tender within, with a rich, mellow flavor.

1h 0m

Easy

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Ingredients

mandarin fish (approx 1.2 kg) 1

bamboo shoots 50 g

shiitake mushrooms 50 g

fresh peas 25 g

egg white 90 g

cooking oil (approx 200 g) 800 g

cooking wine 25 g

scallion 15 g

ginger 15 g

garlic 15 g

salt 10 g

flour 10 g

MSG 4 g

sugar 120 g

rice vinegar 50 g

soy sauce 25 g

water chestnut starch 100 g

wet starch 15 g

chicken broth 150 g

Instructions

Prepare the fish

Scale, gut, and clean the mandarin fish. Using a diagonal cut at the pectoral fin, remove the fish head. Split the head from the chin. Along the spine, make horizontal cuts to the tail, keeping the tail attached. Remove the spine, chest bones, tendons, and soft belly skin. Score the fish meat first vertically then diagonally into small diamond-shaped pieces (do not cut through the skin). Season the head and fish with salt (2 g) and cooking wine (15 g), coat with dry water chestnut starch (50 g), then coat with a batter made from 90 g egg white, 10 g flour, 50 g water chestnut starch, and 5 g wet starch. Hold the tail and shake off excess batter.

Prepare the garnishes

Slice scallion and ginger into fine strips. Mince garlic finely. Wash bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms, then dice them. Blanch fresh peas in boiling water and set aside.

Deep-fry the fish

Heat cooking oil in a wok over high heat until about 80% hot. Holding the fish tail, gently lower it into the oil and fry briefly. Lift it out to allow the cut areas to fry evenly, then fry again. Remove and place on a plate (arrange the two pieces symmetrically with tail raised). Cover with a clean towel and gently press the meat to loosen it, allowing the fish mouth to open.

Make the sauce

Add the sliced scallion, ginger, and garlic to the hot oil and fry until fragrant. Add diced bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and blanched peas; stir-fry until cooked. Then add soy sauce, MSG, rice vinegar, sugar, 10 g cooking wine, 8 g salt, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and thicken with wet starch.