The Sweet and Sour Fish My Dad's Made 100,000 Times

Method7 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Trim the narrow tail end of the sole fillet (16 oz) and reserve that usable trim for another cooked dish. Divide the main fillet into roughly 2-inch strips, then angle-cut across the grain into roughly 1-inch pieces of similar size. Mix gently with the 2 tsp preliminary salt in a bowl and keep chilled while preparing the other components.

   Uses 16 oz sole fish fillet · 2 tsp salt, for preliminary fish treatment (rinsed off)

2. 2

   Step 2: Cut the pineapple (2 oz) into large chunks. Cut the onion (2 oz) into triangular chunks. Cut the red bell pepper (2 oz) into triangular chunks.

   Uses 2 oz pineapple · 2 oz onion · 2 oz red bell pepper

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the batter ingredients: 3 tbsp flour, the separate 1 tbsp batter cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, separate 1/2 tsp batter salt and 4 1/2 tbsp ice water. When well combined, mix in the separate 1 tsp batter oil. Room-temperature water may replace the ice water in cooler conditions, as the source permits; do not add both.

   Uses 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for batter · 1 tbsp cornstarch, for batter · 1/2 tsp baking powder, for batter · 1/2 tsp salt, for batter · 4 1/2 tbsp ice water, for batter · 1 tsp oil, for batter

4. 4

   Step 4: In one bowl, mix the sauce: 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp ketchup, 6 tbsp sauce sugar and separate 2 tbsp sauce water. In another bowl, mix the slurry: 1 tsp potato starch and separate 1 tbsp slurry water.

   Uses 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, for sauce · 4 tbsp ketchup, for sauce · 6 tbsp sugar, for sauce · 2 tbsp water, for sauce · 1 tsp potato starch, for slurry · 1 tbsp water, for slurry

5. 5

   Step 5: Rinse the preliminarily salted fish from step 1 three times, draining each time, then pat very dry with paper towels. Mix with the separate 1 tbsp fish-marinade cornstarch, a little salt as needed (the source gives no dose here), 0.33 tsp white pepper and the egg yolk (1). If separating an egg for the yolk, reserve the white for another use. Coat the fish thoroughly.

   Uses Preliminarily salted cut sole pieces · Water, for rinsing treated fish and the sauce bowl, as needed · 1 tbsp cornstarch, for fish marinade · Salt, for seasoning the rinsed fish, as needed · 0.33 tsp white pepper (about 1/3 tsp), for fish marinade · 1 egg yolk, for fish marinade

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the 12 oz corn oil in a suitable wok/deep pan to 330°F, using a cooking thermometer. Immediately before frying, coat the marinated fish from step 5 with the batter from step 3. Lower the pieces gently into the oil in uncrowded batches. Fry for the source guide of about 3–4 minutes until light brown, continuing as needed until the fish reaches 63°C/145°F and is opaque/flakes readily; floating alone is not a doneness test. Lift out and repeat the batches. Bring the oil to 390°F and fry the fish again for 30–40 seconds until golden; lift out and drain. Turn off the heat and immediately lower the prepared onion and bell pepper from step 2 into the still-hot oil for about 25 seconds, then remove and drain. Discard any raw-fish-contact batter. Use a clean wok for the sauce stage.

   Uses 12 oz corn oil as frying medium; absorbed quantity unknown · Marinated sole pieces · Prepared fish batter, used to coat; discard contaminated excess · Prepared onion and red bell pepper

7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the prepared sauce from step 4 into the clean wok over medium-low heat. Rinse the sauce bowl with a little separate water and add it. Once simmering, taste and gradually add extra sugar from the optional 1 tbsp finishing supply only if needed, reserving unused sugar. Stir the slurry from step 4 and add about half while stirring over low heat. Add the fried onion/bell pepper from step 6 and prepared pineapple from step 2; raise the heat and stir-fry. Add more slurry only if needed for a coating consistency, reserving any unused clean slurry. Turn off the heat, stir in the separate 1 tsp finishing oil for shine, then gently coat the fully cooked double-fried fish from step 6 with the sauce. Serve promptly.

   Uses Prepared sweet-and-sour sauce · Small amount of separate water to rinse sauce bowl · Extra sugar to taste from 1 tbsp supply; reserve unused · Prepared potato-starch slurry: about half initially, then only as needed; reserve clean extra · Quick-fried onion and bell pepper · Prepared pineapple chunks · 1 tsp oil, for finishing shine · Fully cooked double-fried sole