Whole Fish in Two Styles

Name: Whole Fish in Two Styles
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 750 g Fresh sturgeon (guts, gills and fins removed; cut off the head; split into two halves. Fillet both sides; remove all fine bones from the belly); 25 g Shrimp (minced); 15 g Carrot; 15 g Cilantro; 50 g Pork fat (minced); 10 g Green peas; 15 g Wheat flour; 10 g Scallion (cut into segments); 10 g Ginger (sliced); 2 g Fine salt; 25 g Egg white; 10 g Sesame oil; 30 g Cornstarch; 250 g Peanut oil; 2 Red cherry; 10 g Tomato paste; 20 g Sugar; 20 g Vinegar; 15 g Shaoxing wine

Shandong-style whole fish served two ways — one dish with two colors and two flavor profiles, offering a savory-fresh and sweet-sour taste in an attractive presentation.

1h 0m

Easy

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Ingredients

Fresh sturgeon (guts, gills and fins removed; cut off the head; split into two halves. Fillet both sides; remove all fine bones from the belly) 750 g

Shrimp (minced) 25 g

Carrot 15 g

Cilantro 15 g

Pork fat (minced) 50 g

Green peas 10 g

Wheat flour 15 g

Scallion (cut into segments) 10 g

Ginger (sliced) 10 g

Fine salt 2 g

Egg white 25 g

Sesame oil 10 g

Cornstarch 30 g

Peanut oil 250 g

Red cherry 2

Tomato paste 10 g

Sugar 20 g

Vinegar 20 g

Shaoxing wine 15 g

Instructions

Preparing the fish

Gut the fish, remove the gills and fins, cut off the head, and split the body into two halves. Fillet both sides and clean the fine bones from the belly. Place one fillet skin-side down on the cutting board; starting from the front, use cross-hatch and straight cuts to score the flesh into a squirrel pattern, and marinate the scored fillet along with the fish head with scallion-ginger juice and fine salt. On the other fillet, use a diagonal slicing technique from the tail toward the front (slices about 0.2 cm thick, keeping the flesh attached at the skin) and set aside.

Making the folded fish rolls

Mince the shrimp and pork fat, add stock, fine salt, egg white, scallion-ginger juice, and sesame oil, and stir into a shrimp filling. Spread the filling evenly over the sliced fillet, then roll it up from the front to the tail into a fish roll about 1 cm in diameter to form the folded fish. Mix egg white with wet cornstarch into a thin batter and brush it evenly over the fish rolls and the halved fish head. Add scallion segments and ginger slices, then steam over a pot for 7 to 8 minutes until cooked through. Remove, discard the scallion and ginger, and arrange on one side of a serving platter.

Deep-frying the squirrel fish

Place peanut oil in a wok and heat over medium heat to about 80% hot (around 200°C). Dust the squirrel-patterned fillet and the remaining fish head with wheat flour, then coat evenly with egg yolk, and deep-fry until golden yellow. Remove and drain off excess oil, then arrange on the other side of the serving platter. Place the two red cherries in the two fish-eye positions.

Making the sweet and sour sauce

Reserve a small amount of peanut oil in the wok and heat over medium heat to about 60% hot (around 150°C). Add the tomato paste, sugar, diced onion, and carrot and stir-fry, then pour in the stock, vinegar, and fine salt and bring to a boil. Thicken with wet cornstarch into a translucent glaze, add the green peas and a small amount of hot oil to blend, then drizzle over the squirrel fish.

Making the savory sauce

In a separate wok, combine stock, fine salt, and Shaoxing wine and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Thicken with wet cornstarch into a glaze, stir in sesame oil and cilantro stems, then drizzle over the folded fish. Serve immediately.