Easy 20-min. Chinese Salt and Pepper Fish
This easy Chinese salt and pepper fish recipe delivers crispy seafood tossed with fragrant aromatics in 20 minutes. The lightly coated fish stays tender and juicy inside while the golden crust adds a crunchy, savory finish. Make this quick weeknight main dish for a restaurant-style dinner at home.
Ingredients
- 1.75 lb cod filet or haddock / halibut filet
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red chilli sliced
- 2 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt add more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper add more if needed
Fish Seasoning & Coating:
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg beaten
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch add more if needed
Instructions
- Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut the fish into even one-inch cubes for consistent cooking.
- In a large bowl, toss the fish cubes with Shaoxing wine, salt, black pepper, and beaten egg until evenly seasoned. Add the cornstarch and mix until each piece is fully coated.
- Add vegetable oil to a pan and heat over medium until it reaches 325°F to 350°F and begins to shimmer. Alternatively, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for rapid bubbles.
- Carefully add the fish pieces to the hot oil in small, separated batches. Fry until the coating turns golden and crisp, then transfer the fish to a wire rack to drain.
- Drain the pan, leaving exactly one teaspoon of oil. Sauté the ginger, garlic, green onions, red chili, and sugar until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
- Return the crispy fish to the pan. Add Shaoxing wine and quickly toss everything together to coat the fish evenly. Remove from heat immediately to preserve the crisp texture.
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Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 709mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg