Ingredients
- 750 g-1 kg (1 lb 10 oz-2 lb 4 oz) whole fish, such as carp, bream, grouper or sea bass
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- oil for deep-frying
- 1 tablespoon shredded ginger
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly shredded
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons yellow bean sauce
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) chicken and meat stock
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
Method
1. If you do manage to buy a swimming (live) fish, then ask the fishmonger to gut it through the gills. This is harder than gutting through the stomach, but leaves the fish looking whole. If you are gutting the fish yourself, make a cut from the throat to the tail and pull out the guts through the stomach. Remove any scales with a fish scaler or the back of a knife. Check that the gills have been cut out, then rinse the fish under cold, running water and drain thoroughly in a colander.
2. Diagonally score both sides of the fish, cutting through as far as the bone at intervals of 2 cm (3/4 inch). Place the fish in a shallow dish with the light soy sauce and rice wine and leave to marinate for 10-15 minutes, then drain off any liquid, reserving the marinade.
3. Fill a wok one-quarter full of oil. Heat the oil to 190°C (375°F), or until a piece of bread fries golden brown in 10 seconds when dropped in the oil. Holding the fish by its tail, gently and carefully lower it into the oil, bending the body so that the cuts open up. Cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown, tilting the wok so that the entire fish is cooked in the oil. Remove and drain on crumpled paper towels and keep warm in a low oven. Pour the oil from the wok, leaving 1 1/2 tablespoons.
4. Reheat the reserved oil over high heat until very hot. Add the ginger, spring onion, sugar, dark soy sauce, yellow bean sauce and reserved marinade. Stir for a few seconds, add the stock, bring to the boil and add the fish. Cook for 4-5 minutes, basting constantly and turning the fish once after 2 minutes.
5. Turn the fish over and sprinkle with the sesame oil. Serve with the sauce poured over.
