1 whole pan-sized fish (snapper, barramundi)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 red onion, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 green capsicum, cut into 1 cm squares
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
200mL chicken stock
200mL tomato sauce
1 Tbs white vinegar
3 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp potato starch
3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm pieces
1 Tbs Shaoxing rice wine
Run a few deep slits along each side of the fish until the knife touches bone. Season inside the slits and the outside of the fish with salt, then heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry until the skin is golden brown and the meat in the slits is cooked, about 3–5 minutes on each side depending on size. Remove to a serving plate and retain the cooking oil.
Reheat a tablespoon of the oil in a wok and fry the onion and capsicum until slightly charred but not fully cooked. Remove to a bowl and set aside. In the same wok, add another tablespoon of the oil and the ginger and sauté until fragrant, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil to release the ginger essence into the sauce.
Once boiling, add the tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar and oyster sauce and mix well. Taste and season to your liking. If you prefer sweeter, add sugar; if you prefer sour, add more vinegar, and so on – there is no right or wrong with this dish.
Bring the sauce back to a boil, then mix the potato starch with a tablespoon of cold water and add to thicken the sauce. Add onion, capsicum and spring onions, stir in Shaoxing rice wine and pour the sauce over the fried fish to serve.
