When serving whole fish, lift off portions from the top fillets and then remove the bones in one piece so you can access the fillets underneath. The flavor of sweet and sour sauce works extremely well with all types of fish.
Ingredients: (Serves 2)
- 400 g (14 oz) sea bream, red snapper or grey mullet
- 3½ tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 225 g (8 oz) tin pineapple slices in juice, each slice cut into 4 pieces (reserve the juice)
- 1½ tablespoons plum sauce or ketchup
- 2½ teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, cut into 8 slices
- ½ red pepper (capsicum), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small Lebanese cucumber (skin left on), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium tomato, cut into 8 wedges, or 4 baby tomatoes
- A few cilantro (coriander) leaves, for garnish
Method:
Clean and gut fish, leaving the head on. Dry fish thoroughly and score it three or four times on both sides with a sharp knife. Rub the fish inside and out with a pinch of salt. Put 3 tablespoons of the flour and the pepper on a plate and press the fish lightly into it until coated with flour from head to tail. Shake off any excess.
Heat 10 cm (4 inches) oil in a large wok or pan big enough to deep-fry the whole fish. Drop a small cube of bread into the oil and if it sizzles straight away, the oil is ready. Lower the heat to medium and gently slide the fish into the oil. Be careful as the hot oil may splash. Deep-fry the fish on just one side (but make sure the oil covers the whole fish) for about 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked and light brown (if you cook the fish until it is very brown, the fish will be too dry). Drain, then put on paper towels before transferring to a warm plate. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, mix all the pineapple juice (about 6 tablespoons) with the remaining flour, plum sauce or ketchup, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
Remove the oil from the wok or pan and heat 1½ tablespoons clean oil in the same wok or pan. Stir-fry the garlic over a medium heat for 1 minute or until light brown. Add the onion and capsicum and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the pineapple, cucumber, tomato and pineapple juice mixture.
Stir together for another minute. Taste, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour all over the warm fish and garnish with a few cilantro leaves.
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