Crispy Fried Whole Pomfret With Spicy Tomato Sauce 酸辣茄汁炸白鯧 - "Malaysian Monday 63"

Remember the crispy monk fish with tangy tomato sauce I posted recently? Well this is the adult version where a whole fish is used and served with a slightly hotter sauce instead.

"Meat is sweeter closer to the bones" as the saying goes and the same can be said about fish. There is something wonderful about serving a whole fish; not only it looks spectacular on the dining table, guests are able to help themselves with their favoutite part of the fish especially if they are fans of the crispy fins, tails and head that come with it.

Back home the preferred fish for this dish is black pomfret which unfortunately is unavailable here in Melbourne. Since white pomfret can now be sourced easily it becomes the obvious choice for me. If you are unable to find pomfret full stop, a whole barramundi, snapper or bream are good substitutes.

P.S remember to check out the 17th roundup of Muhibbah Malaysian Monday at my friend Sharon's blog Test With Skewer if you haven't done so.

serves 4 to 6 as part of a Chinese meal
you'll need;
1 whole pomfret
rice flour for coating
pinch of salt
oil for frying
2 spring onions, cut into 5 cm lengths and julienned
2 red chillies, julienned

for the sauce;

oil for cooking

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cm piece of ginger, chopped

3 to 5 bird chillies (optional) , chopped
5 tbs of  hot chili paste (I used ABC brand)

5 tbs of tomato ketchup

3 tbs of oyster sauce

2 tbs of light soy

2 tbs of sugar

1 tsp of white pepper

2 cups of stock
1 red onion, sliced
1 large tomato, cut into chunks

corn flour solution for thickening

 Make crisscross cuts on both sides of the fish, sprinkle a little salt to the flesh and coat with rice flour. Shake off access flour and set aside.

Chop garlic, ginger and chillies: cut onion into wedges.

To prepare the sauce - saute chopped ingredients and chili paste with a little oil in a saucepan for 30 seconds, be careful not to burn the ingredients. Add the seasoning next and continue to cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add onion, tomato and stock and bring to a simmer.

When the vegetables are slightly soften, thicken the sauce with corn flour solution and check for seasonings.

Heat up plenty of oil in a wok and deep fry the fish until golden on both sides. Drain well before transferring to a large platter.

Pour the sauce over the awaiting fish and garnish with spring onion and chili.

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