Whole Fish – Mandarin Style

Ingredients:

Pomfrets (Any large fish) – 2 medium sized, or 1 large

Salt – To taste

Lemon Juice – 4 tbsp 

Chilli Oil – 2 tbsp

Spring Onion Greens – 1

Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves

Capsicum – ½ medium sized

Pineapple Slice – 1

Fresh Coriander Leaves – a few sprigs

Corn Flour – 1 tbsp

Tomato Sauce – ¼ cup

Ajinomoto (Japanese product) – ¼ tsp

White Pepper Powder – ¼ tsp

Red Chilli Flakes – 1 tbsp

Chicken Stock – 1 cup

Oil – As required

Method:

ü  Make a small slit at the stomach and clean the inside of the fish.

ü  Wash the fish thoroughly and pat dry with an absorbent kitchen towel

ü  Make 4-5 quarter inch deep cuts on both the sides of the fish and then apply salt, lemon juice and chilli oil

ü  Leave aside to marinade for half an hour

ü  Wash, trim and chop spring onion greens.

ü  Peel and chop garlic

ü  Wash, de-seed and cut capsicum into half inch sized pieces

ü  Cut pineapple slice into half inch sized pieces

ü  Clean, wash and keep coriander sprigs in chilled water

ü  Blend corn flour in half a cup of water

ü  Mix tomato juice, ajinomoto, white pepper powder, red chilli flakes and salt to taste with chicken stock

ü  Heat sufficient oil in a wok and fry the marinated fish for 2 to 3 minutes (or until it’s cooked)

ü  Remove and drain onto absorbent kitchen towel

ü  Keep warm in a serving platter

ü  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or a pan, add chopped garlic and capsicum and stir fry briefly

ü  Stir in the prepared sauce and spice mix.

ü  Bring to boil

ü  Add the pineapple and the blended cornflour

ü  Continue to cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes

ü  Pour sauce over the fried fish

ü  Remove coriander sprigs from water and garnish the fish

ü  Serve hot topped with spring onion greens