Sweet and Sour Yellow River Carp

Name: Sweet and Sour Yellow River Carp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (750 g) live carp (slaughtered and cleaned, score 8 cuts on each side of the fish, deep to the bone); 200 g white sugar; 150 g yellow vinegar; 50 g soy sauce; 5 g minced scallion; 5 g minced ginger; 15 g minced garlic; 325 g water starch (300 g for batter, 25 g for thickening); 200 g meat broth; 2000 g (actual consumption 200 g) peanut oil (for frying fish)

A traditional specialty from Jiangsu, this dish features carp prepared with skilled knife work, coated in batter and fried until crisp, then topped with a sweet and sour sauce. Golden in color with a crispy exterior and tender interior, it offers a perfectly balanced sweet and sour flavor.

35 min

Easy

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Ingredients

live carp (slaughtered and cleaned, score 8 cuts on each side of the fish, deep to the bone) 1 (750 g)

white sugar 200 g

yellow vinegar 150 g

soy sauce 50 g

minced scallion 5 g

minced ginger 5 g

minced garlic 15 g

water starch (300 g for batter, 25 g for thickening) 325 g

meat broth 200 g

peanut oil (for frying fish) 2000 g (actual consumption 200 g)

Instructions

Knife preparation

Slaughter and clean the live carp. Score 8 cuts on each side of the fish, cutting deep to the bone, with shallow cuts first followed by deeper cuts, a technique commonly known as bagua cuts.

Prepare batter and fry fish

Place a wok over high heat, pour in peanut oil and heat to 70% of its smoking point. Mix 300 g of water starch into a smooth batter, coat the fish thoroughly with the batter, then lower it into the hot oil and fry until light golden. Transfer to medium heat and fry until golden brown, remove and gently squeeze to loosen the exterior, then return to the 70% hot oil and fry until dark golden with a crispy outer layer.

Prepare sweet and sour sauce

While the fish is frying, place another wok over high heat to heat up. Pour in 25 g of hot peanut oil, add minced scallion, minced ginger, and minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add white sugar, meat broth, and soy sauce, bring to a boil, then thicken with 25 g of water starch. Next, pour in vinegar, and drizzle with 50 g of hot peanut oil.