Sweet & Sour Wild Pacific Halibut

 
WPH x Fishman (3).jpg

By Bo Li, The Fish Man

Chef’s Note

This dish originated 120 years ago in Harbin, China. While the original recipe uses pork slices, we are fortune to be surrounded by the ocean and can therefore add a twist by using our wonderful wild Pacific halibut instead!

 

  • 1lb - Wild Pacific Halibut fillet, skin on (cut into ½-inch / 1 cm slices)

  • 6 - 8 cups - canola oil for frying

Wild Pacific Halibut Marinade

  • 1 tsp - salt

  • 1/2 tsp - chicken bouillon powder

  • 1 tsp - white pepper powder

  • 1 Tbsp - Chinese cooking wine

  • 1 tsp - sesame oil

  • 1 - egg white

  • 1 tsp - ginger juice

Batter

  • 1 cup - cornstarch

  • 150 mL - water

  • drizzle - canola oil

Sweet & Sour Sauce

  • 50 mL - Chinese rice vinegar

  • 100 mL - warm water

  • 6 Tbsp - sugar

  • 1 Tbsp - minced garlic

  • 1 Tbsp - soy sauce

  • pinch - salt

  • 10 g - chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/8 cup)

  • 10 g - finely shredded carrot (about 1/8 cup)

  • 10 g - finely shredded fresh black fungus (about 1/8 cup)

DIRECTIONS

  1. First cut the Wild Pacific Halibut fillet into 4-inch (10 cm) thick slices, then 2-inch (5 cm) thin slices and finally 1/2-inch (1 cm) slices. Try to cut the fish in single strokes.

  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the marinade ingredients until well mixed. Gently fold the fish slices into the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes.

  3. To prepare the batter, add the cornstarch and water to a large bowl and hand mix to a wet glue-like consistency. Drizzle the oil over the fish to help separate the slices. Gently fold the marinated fish into the batter making sure the batter covers most surfaces of fish slices.

  4. Over a high heat, heat a deep pan until it starts to smoke. Add canola oil to the pan and heat to desired temperature. You can test the temperature of the oil by adding one fish slice. It should float up to the top of the oil. You can deep fry the fish with long chopsticks. Carefully drop the fish slices into the oil one at a time and in different areas of the pan. Cook the fish until both sides are a golden brown colour and the outside layer develops a crispy texture. Keep warm.

  5. The finally step is creating the marriage between the fish and sauce. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients of the Sweet & Sour Sauce until well combined. Over high heat, heat a large, deep skillet until smoking hot, pour the sauce into the pan and bring to boil. Reduce the sauce to half, add the fried fish and toss gently until the sauce completely covers the fish.

  6. Then... enjoy it while it is hot and crispy!

Serves 2

 
February 2021

Design