Sweet and Sour Pomfret | Chef John’s Cooking Class

Remove the fish's entrails, wash to clean, then let it air dry. Place the fish on a cutting board, make a vertical cut and stop at 0.5cm deep, then slant the knife to make a horizontal cut and stop at about 1.5 cm deep to make a flap. Repeat this. Cut 3 flaps on each side. This is to allow the fish to be done faster and to absorb flavor fully. (Don't make the cuts too deep, as long as the flaps can be opened, it is fine.)

Mix salt, ground white pepper, Shaoxing cooking wine, and egg in a bowl, evenly coat the fish with this mixture.

Put corn starch on a plate, evenly coat the entire fish with corn starch. Shake off loose starch. Set it aside. Note: Make sure the corn starch evenly covers every part. Thus the fish will look good after deep frying. (The starch coating must be evenly to prevent breaking.)

Making the sauce: In a medium cooking pan over medium heat, add oil and onion, stir fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato, stir fry for 30 seconds, then add tomato paste, water, rock sugar, salt, Worcester sauce, and strawberry jam Mix well, then turn the heat to low, cook for 2-3 minutes.

Remove solid vegetable lumps, only to keep the sauce. Add white vinegar, potato starch slurry, one tablespoon oil to glaze the sauce, and peas, gently stir to mix completely. Note: when adding slurry, make sure it is mixed well. (Adding white vinegar, at last, to prevent it evaporate.)

In a large pan, bring enough oil to 350°F/180°C. Shake off excessive starch from the fish, hold on to the fish's tail, gently put it into the oil, deep fry for 2-3 minutes, remove from oil and drain. (Deep fry oil temperature has to be hot enough to prevent losing starch.)

Place the fish on a serving plate, dress with the sauce on top.

Enjoy!