Chrysanthemum Fish In Sweet And Sour Sauce

RATING LIKE SAVE PRINT

Chrysanthemum Fish In Sweet And Sour Sauce

5 stars rating if you like it!

Done

With unique knifework and magnificent imagination, this Chrysanthemum Fish starts out as fish, through the artistry of the chef, becomes a veritable plateful of chrysanthemum blossoms. Chef John shares tips on making this classic Huaiyang dish.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 1 hr 40 min

COOKING TIME: 20 min

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr

4 SERVING

Ingredients:

2 lb. Skin On Fish Filet (Grass Carp Is Good)
Marinade
0.25 cup Cooking Wine
1 tsp. Salt, A Pinch Of
Frying Coat
5 cup Starch
Sauce
1 tbsp. Cooking oil
3.5 oz. Onion
1 tbsp. Cooking wine
1 cup Ketchup
0.25 cup Honey
0.25 cup Pomelo Jam
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1.5 cup Water
2 tbsp. White Vinegar
4 tbsp. Cornstarch Water (2 Tbsp Cornstarch Mixed With 1 Tbsp Water)

Directions:

Step 1

Cut fish to make chrysanthemum flower shape. Place the fish fillet skin side down on the cutting board. Make 4 slanted, adjacent cuts into the fish, about .5 cm apart from each other.

Step 2

Do not cut all the way through, so that each slice is connected by the skin. So it opens up like a book. On the 5th cut, cut all the way through. Now you have your first “chrysanthemum flower”.

Step 3

Repeat this process. For each “flower”, make straight cuts .5 cm apart, perpendicular to the slanted cuts across the surface. Make sure the skin side is still intact, so the flower remains as one piece. These knife techniques prepare the fish so that they will curl into the desired flower shape when fried.

Step 4

Raise fish in ice-cold water.

Step 5

Marinate in cooking wine and salt mixture.

Step 6

Coat each chrysanthemum flower with corn starch completely and shake off excessive starch.

Step 7

Deep fry at 340°F/170°C until thoroughly cooked.

Step 8

Take them out and re-fry at higher temperatures quickly until golden brown.

Step 9

In a wok, drizzle cooking oil, add shallot stir fry until fragrant. Add ketchup, honey, pomelo citrus sauce, sugar, salt, and water, stir and cook for a few minutes.

Step 11