Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 01/19/23
Sweet and sour fish
Philippe Desnerck/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Marinade: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
379 Calories
27g Fat
13g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 379
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 791mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 43mg 216%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 583mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This “sweet and sour fish fillet” recipe originates in Eastern China. It’s preferable to use “white fish” like cod, haddock, sea bass, or monkfish. Monkfish is not only delicious, but the shape is perfect for cutting and the texture is a bit more solid than the other kinds of fish. This means that once you have cooked the fish it won’t turn mushy or flaky. It also won’t go dry so you can still taste the nice juiciness of the fish after it has been deep-fried.

You can swap the additional vegetables or fruit as you wish, such as pineapple, different colors of peppers, carrot slices, onions, etc.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or sea bass

For the Marinade:

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Sauce:

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water

For the Vegetables:

  • 4 ounces snow peas

  • 1 red bell pepper

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, cut on the bias

  • 2 to 4 cups oil, for deep-frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry. Cut into 2-inch squares.

  2. Add the fish to the marinade ingredients, using your fingers to mix the ingredients and adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the fish for 15 minutes.

  3. While the fish is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables. In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar.

  4. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.

  5. Blanch the snow peas in boiling water until they turn bright green. Plunge briefly in cold water. Drain thoroughly.

  6. Cut the bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut into cubes.

  7. Heat the oil to between 360 F and 370 F. Add the marinated fish cubes. Deep-fry until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

  8. Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the ginger and green onion and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the snow peas. Stir-fry for a minute and add the red bell peppers.

  9. Push the vegetables up to the sides of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Bring to a boil.

  10. Add the cornstarch and water mixture, stirring to thicken.

  11. Serve the fish on a platter, covered with the sweet and sour sauce and vegetables.