Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish

Ingredients

Green onions

2, sliced into thin rings

Water

1/4 cup

Sugar

2 tablespoons

Vinegar

1/4 cup

Soy sauce

1/4 cup

Ginger

1 inch piece, finely chopped

Garlic

3 cloves, minced

Vegetable oil

1 cup, for frying

Cornstarch

1/2 cup, for dusting

Pepper

1 teaspoon

Salt

2 teaspoons

Mandarin fish

1 whole (about 1 to 1.5 kg), cleaned and pat dried

Instructions

1. Clean the Mandarin fish thoroughly and pat it dry. Season it evenly with salt and pepper.
2. Dust the entire fish with cornstarch, ensuring it's well-coated.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the fish and fry until it turns golden brown on both sides. This should take about 5-7 minutes per side. Carefully remove the fish from the pan and set it aside.
4. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to low and sauté the minced garlic and chopped ginger until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water, and bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Gently place the fried fish back into the pan, spooning some of the sauce over the top. Let it simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes, carefully turning once halfway through.
7. Transfer the fish to a serving dish and generously pour the remaining sweet and sour sauce over it. Garnish with sliced green onions.
8. Serve the Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish hot with steamed rice for a complete meal.