Tip on how to fry fish without sticking: Sweet and Sour Fish for good luck

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MANILA, Philippines — Fish is said to bring good luck. This is why fish is first and foremost on the menu of any Chinese New Year celebration. It is an ancient symbol of prosperity, abundance, good luck, and positive energy.

The more frequent you eat it, it is said to bring you more good luck. Vikings The Alley always serves several fish dishes, including Sweet and Sour Fish, on their buffet especially during the period leading to and after the Chinese New Year celebration. 

To attract more good vibes into the Year of the Fire Horse, Chef Michael Santos, corporate executive chef of the Vikings Group, graciously shares this Sweet and Sour Fish recipe.

Sweet & Sour Fish

Ingredients:

For the fish:

1 pc. whole fish

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pc. big red onion

1 pc. green bell pepper

1 pc. red bell pepper

1/2 pc. pineapple

1-2 pcs. tomatoes

1 pc. carrot

Potato starch

All-purpose flour

Chopped spring onion

Chopped wansuy (coriander or cilantro)

For the sweet and sour sauce:

1 1/4 cups water

3 1/2 tbsps. vinegar

5 tbsps. tomato ketchup

4 tbsps. white sugar

Slurry, for thickening the sauce

Procedure:

1. Wash the fish and pat-dry with paper towels.

2. Cut three diagonal slits onto each side of the fish. Set aside.

3. Peel and slice onion into thin wedges.

4. Dice bell peppers into 2-cm cubes.

5. Cut pineapple into chunks.

6. Slice tomatoes into 8 wedges.

7. Peel and cut carrot into cubes.

8. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

9. Fry the whole fish. Heat up a wok over high heat. Pour in enough oil to fill the wok until one-fourth full. Allow the oil to heat up until very hot. Meanwhile, mix the potato starch and plain flour in a small bowl. Dredge fish, including the inside of the cavity and slits, with the starch mixture. Tap off excess. When the oil is very hot, deep-fry one side of fish until light golden brown, or near 80% cooked. Do not move the fish once it's in! Turn over and fry the other side. Again, don't move the fish. When near 80% cooked, remove the fish with a slotted spoon. Wait for 15 seconds for the oil to get hot again. Put the fish into the hot oil again. This time, fry until the surface is golden brown and crispy. Turn fish over and do the same with the other side. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.

10. Drain the wok of oil and clean it. Cook vegetables and sauce together. In the cleaned wok, heat up 1 tbsp. oil over high heat. Once oil is very hot, sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add tomatoes, diced peppers, and pineapple chunks. Continue to stir-fry until they start to soften and become aromatic for about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce mix and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to allow the mixture to gently simmer. Then, stir in slurry (1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 or 2 tbsps. water, a thickening agent). Allow sauce to thicken until consistency is like that of a thick glaze. Stir in the chopped spring onion. Simmer for 10 seconds, then turn off heat.

11. Set fried fish on a serving plate. Ladle the sauce all over the fish, and garnish with chopped coriander or cilantro. Serve immediately.

*Tip: For variation or easier consumption, fish fillet can be used in place of whole fish.

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