Wok Fried Fish in Black Bean Sauce

Wok Fried Fish in Black Bean Sauce

from thatspicychick.com
40 min

Fish pieces are lightly battered and fried to crispy golden brown perfection, and then wok fried with fragrant aromatics, umami loaded Chinese black beans, and crisp onion and bell pepper in a glossy savory sauce!

Ingredients

  • 380 grams / 13.4 ounces Firm White Fish Fillets (I used grouper/garoupa) – cut into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces
  • ¼ TSP Kosher Salt
  • 2 TSP Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
  • 2 TSP Shao Xing Rice Wine
  • ¼ TSP Sesame Oil
  • 2.5 TBLS Corn Starch
  • 2.5 TBLS Potato Starch (see notes*)
  • 3-4 cups Peanut Oil (or Vegetable/Canola Oil – as needed to fill 1/3 of your frying vessel)
  • ½ TSP Potato Starch (or Corn Starch)
  • ½ – 1 TSP White Sugar, to taste
  • ¼ TSP Kosher Salt
  • ¼ – ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
  • 1.5 TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine
  • ½ TSP Dark Soy Sauce
  • ½ TBLS Oyster Sauce
  • 1 TSP Sesame Oil
  • ¼ cup / 60ml Water
  • 2 Spring Onion (white and light green parts only) – chopped at an angle into ½-cm pieces
  • 6 Garlic cloves – thinly slices
  • 1.5-inch chunk Ginger – peeled and julienned (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1-3 fresh Red Chilies (optional – Bird’s Eye or any hot red chilies) – thinly sliced
  • ½ medium Yellow Onion – sliced in ¼-in wide strips, then sliced at an angle into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ medium Red Bell Pepper – deseeded, sliced in ¼-in wide strips, then sliced at an angle into 1-inch pieces
  • 1.5 TBLS Fermented Black Beans – rinsed and smashed
  • 2-10 Dried Red Chilies (optional – see notes*) – cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 3 TBLS Peanut Oil (or any neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point)
  • To Garnish (optional): Chopped spring onion (dark green parts only)

Directions

  1. 1

    Clean and pat-dry the fish fillets. Cut into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and add the kosher salt, low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, and sesame oil. Use a spoon to gently mix and coat the fish pieces with the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Fill a small pot with peanut oil until it is 1/3 of the way full. Heat over high heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 175°C/350°F. Then turn the heat down to low. Working in batches of 5-6 pieces at a time, add and fry the fish for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden and crispy. Using a metal slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat until all of the remaining fish pieces are fried.

  3. 3

    Heat 3 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large wok over high heat. Once hot, add the spring onion white and light green parts, garlic, ginger, and fresh red chilies. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.