Sweet and Sour Carp
The sweet and sour sauce for this dish uses a ratio of 1 tablespoon cooking wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 5 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, which is suitable for 250g of main ingredients. You can adjust the sauce amount based on the quantity of ingredients you prepare.
Story
A beloved classic of Chinese culinary tradition, sweet and sour carp has graced family dinner tables and festive celebration feasts for generations. The dish features a whole carp fried until its exterior is perfectly crispy and golden, then coated in a glossy, vibrant sweet and sour glaze that balances bright tanginess with gentle sweetness. Its striking appearance and well-loved flavor profile make it a staple of Lunar New Year menus and a favorite among diners of all ages across China and around the world.
Ingredients
common carp
500g
starch
1 tablespoon
flour
1 tablespoon
tomato sauce
1 tablespoon
salt
to taste
clear water
as needed
vinegar
to taste
sugar
to taste
soy sauce
to taste
cooking wine
to taste
garlic
to taste
scallion
to taste
ginger
to taste
tomato
Instructions
1
Step 1
One carp.
2
Step 2
Scallions, ginger, garlic, and seasonings.
3
Step 3
After the carp is cleaned and gutted, drain the water, make a diagonal cut every 2.5 cm on both sides of the fish (first cut 1 cm deep vertically, then cut 2 cm deep horizontally).
4
Step 4
Marinate briefly with white pepper, light soy sauce, and a small amount of salt.
5
Step 5
Mix light soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, cooking wine, tomato paste, and water to make sweet and sour sauce, set aside for later use.
6
Step 6
Mix starch and flour into a batter, then coat the marinated fish evenly with the batter.
7
Step 7
Heat the oil to 70% heat, lift the fish by the tail, and first deep-fry the fish head briefly.
8
Step 8
Then ladle oil and pour it over the fish body, and slowly lower the entire fish into the oil pot once the batter has set.
9
Step 9
Wait until the fish is deep-fried to a golden yellow color, then remove it from the oil, drain off excess oil, and set it aside on a plate.
10
Step 10
Leave a small amount of oil in the wok, add chopped scallions, minced ginger, and minced garlic, stir-fry over high heat until fragrant, then pour in the prepared sauce.
11
Step 11
Add a small amount of wet starch slurry, stir and cook until the sauce thickens, then remove from heat and drizzle the thickened sauce over the fish to serve.
