Dry Szechuan Fish

Name: Dry Szechuan Fish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: indo_chinese
Ingredients: 500 g fish fillet (boneless, firm white fish, cut into 16 bite-size pieces); 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 4 tbsp cornflour; 1 pcs egg white (lightly beaten); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 6 pcs garlic (cloves, finely chopped); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 4 pcs dried red chili (broken in half); 1 pcs onion (medium, cut into cubes); 1 pcs bell pepper (medium, cut into cubes); 2 pcs spring onion (greens and whites chopped separately); 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp vinegar; 1 tbsp red chili sauce (szechuan-style); 1 tsp tomato ketchup; 1 pinch black pepper; 0.5 tsp salt (divided); 0.5 tsp sugar; 3 tbsp water; 2 cup oil for frying (for deep frying)

RATING

4.5/5(67)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Crisp fish pieces tossed in a fiery Indo-Chinese Szechuan-style sauce with garlic, ginger, dried red chilies, and bell peppers. It is bold, savory, slightly tangy, and perfect as a small main or starter with rice or noodles.

PREP

20m

COOK

20m

SERVES

1 PIECE

87 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Marinate the fish pieces.
1.Pat the fish dry well so the coating sticks properly.
2.Mix the fish with 0.25 tsp salt, black pepper, egg white, all-purpose flour, and 2 tbsp cornflour.
3.Coat each piece evenly and rest for 10 minutes.
TIPKeep the coating light. A heavy batter will make the dish bready instead of crisp.
fry · ~8 min
Fry the fish until crisp.
1.Heat oil for frying over medium heat until moderately hot.
2.Slide in the fish pieces in batches without crowding the pan.
3.Fry until lightly golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per batch.
4.Lift out and drain the fish well.
TIPFry on medium heat so the coating crisps up without overcooking the fish inside.
saute · ~4 min
Cook the aromatics and vegetables.
1.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat.
2.Add ginger, garlic, green chili, dried red chili, and spring onion whites.
3.Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4.Add onion and bell pepper, then toss on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
mix · ~2 min
Make the dry Szechuan-style sauce.
1.Add soy sauce, vinegar, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar, and the remaining 0.25 tsp salt.
2.Mix the remaining 2 tbsp cornflour with water in a small bowl.
3.Pour the cornflour slurry into the wok and toss quickly.
4.Cook for 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats the vegetables.
TIPThe sauce should stay thick and clingy, not watery. Cook just until it coats the pan.
assemble · ~2 min
Toss the fish in the sauce.
Add the fried fish to the wok and toss gently for 1 to 2 minutes until every piece is coated well and the dish looks dry, glossy, and spicy.
TIPToss gently with a flat spatula so the fish stays whole and crisp.
garnish
Finish with spring onion greens.
serve
Serve hot right away.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Pat the fish very dry before marinating, or the light flour-cornflour coating will slide off in the oil.
2
Use a firm fish like basa, cod, halibut, or tilapia cut to equal size so all 16 pieces cook evenly.
3
Fry in batches and keep the oil at medium heat; overcrowding drops the temperature and makes the coating soggy.
4
Let the fried fish drain on a rack instead of paper if possible, so steam does not soften the crust.
5
Keep the onion and bell pepper slightly crisp; overcooking them makes the final dry-style toss feel wet and limp.
6
Stir the cornflour slurry just before pouring, because the starch settles quickly at the bottom.
7
Add the fish only after the sauce turns glossy and thick, then toss briefly so it stays crisp and does not break.