Sweet and Sour Carp
The original recipe for this came from a Russian/Phillipino family. What makes it utterly fantastic is the use of the ginger as a vegetable rather than just a spice. It’s one of the best sweet and sours we’ve ever had and Corinne loves it.
Ingredients
- 1lb carp fillets (or your fish of choice, catfish works well), cleaned and cut into 1½” x 3” chunks.
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 medium green bell pepper, julienned
- 1 cup fresh ginger, julienned
- 1 ½ cup carrots, julienned
- ½ onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp salt (for salting fish)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (to thicken sauce)
- 2 cups water
Method
- Salt the fish chunks lightly on both sides – you only half half a teaspoon of salt to do the entire fish, so just use a touch on each piece.
- Deep fry the fish in batches for about 4 minutes each, then drain and set aside.
- Heat wok and add 2 tbsp oil from fryer. Sauté the garlic and onions until slightly browned.
- Add carrots, bell pepper, and ginger. Sauté veggies for another minute.
- Add water, soy sauce, vinegar, ground black pepper, and brown sugar. Stir.
- Take out about ¼ cup of the sauce and dissolve 1 tbsp of cornstarch in it. Add it back into the wok.
- Bring to boil and then lower heat.
- Add fried fish chunks, making sure they are at least halfway soaked in the sweet & sour sauce.
- Baste fish with sauce. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or noodles.
