There’s a unique satisfaction that comes from creating a dish that exceeds your expectations, and preparing Ginger Scallion Fish was one such experience. The classic pairing of ginger and scallion complements the golden, pan-fried fish beautifully, making for a delightful meal.
Ingredients Required for Ginger Scallion Fish
- Choice of Fish: Fresh fish is the star of this dish. Options like sea bass, tilapia, or barramundi work well, but it’s best to use fish that can be easily sliced into fillets. Traditionally, the fish is cut into smaller pieces for stir-frying or pan-frying.
- Aromatics: Scallions (green onions) and ginger are essential in Chinese fish dishes, as their robust flavors help mask any fishy odors.
- Seasonings: Typical Cantonese seasonings are used, including oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, ground white pepper, and Shaoxing wine.
- Others: For a pop of color and presentation, the green parts of scallions and some red chili can be added. Carrot slices shaped like stars are optional but can enhance the visual appeal.
Different Ways to Fry the Fish
There are various methods to prepare this dish, depending on your preference:
- Stir-fry: Cut the fish fillet into thin slices and stir-fry it quickly with ginger and scallion over high heat. This method is the fastest but requires skill to prevent the delicate fish from breaking.
- Pan-frying: This recipe utilizes pan-frying. The fish is cut slightly thicker, coated with egg white and cornstarch, and fried separately from the aromatics. This method yields a golden-brown color and a firmer texture, making it less likely for the fish to break apart.
The texture will vary slightly between the two methods, with the stir-frying method allowing the fresh flavor of the fish to shine through more distinctly.
How to Prepare Ginger Scallion Fish
- Start with fresh fish. Request your fishmonger to scale and gut it, and if possible, have them fillet it for convenience.
- Cut the fish fillet into bite-sized slices, approximately 0.7 cm (1/3 inch) thick. Pat them dry with paper towels. Season the slices with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and ground white pepper. Add half an egg white, mix well, and coat with cornstarch. Finally, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and mix again to prevent sticking. Let it marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the fish fillets until both sides are golden brown. This method uses less oil and is more suitable for home cooking than deep frying.
- Chop the white part of the scallions into short sections and the green part into lengths of about two inches (5 cm). Remove the seeds and pith from the red chili and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. Slice the ginger thinly.
- After removing the fish fillets from the pan, use the remaining oil to sauté the white part of the scallions, red chili, and ginger slices until fragrant, which should take about a minute.
- Prepare the stir-fry sauce by mixing oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ground white pepper, sugar, and water.
- Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the sauce mixture and let it boil. Return the fried fish fillets to the pan, adding the green parts of the scallions at the same time.
- Gently stir-fry everything together for about 20 seconds, taking care not to break the fish fillets. Drizzle in 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to enhance the flavor, mix gently, and your Ginger Scallion Fish is ready to serve.
