Pan Fried Carp in Sweet & Sour Mango Sauce

Mymy Suajico – Santiago 蔡马安

Sweet and Sour is stereotypically an element of standard Chinese cooking. Said to have originated in the Chinese province of Hunan, Sweet & Sour sauce then was in the form of a dipping sauce ( mixture of vinegar & sugar ) rather than what resembles now as “sweet & sour” cooking in westernized chinese cuisine. The style of using sauces is popular amongst Chinese who tie certain sauces to particular meats such as chili-soy shrimp and vinegar-garlic goose.

The traditional Chinese sauces are made from mixing sugar or honey with a sour liquid such as rice vinegar, soy sauce, and spices such as ginger and cloves. All of these, rooting from their concept of Yin-Yang as complementary forces interacting as one dynamic whole. Thus, the need for sweet to balance the sour giving rise to an exceptional flavor.

This recipe therefore is a fusion, following the way it is served in western Chinese restaurants with the meat battered & fried, the sauce poured over. I have added mango syrup as the ‘sweet’ element and to zest the sauce.

Ingredients:

1 whole           Carp (or any white fish) gutted, scaled & cleaned
1 teaspoon       Salt (for fish rub)
1 tbsp.            Ginger & Citrus mix (liquid or dry-for marinade/rub)
1 tbsp.            red pepper flakes (rub)
½ cup            Corn Flour (for dusting)
2 cups            Canola Oil (for Frying)

Scouring

Marinating

Dusting

Frying

Scour the carp and marinate/ rub in marinade –allow to sit for 1 hour or longer.

Dust with flour and fry well done –set aside

Clockwise L-R: Celery, Garlic, Onions, Jalapenos, Ginger, White Vinegar, Mango Nectar, Stewed Tomaotes Red & Green Bell Peppers, Chives (center)

4 cloves          garlic, minced
1 small           onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp.            ginger, minced
2 stalks           celery, sliced
1 whole           green & red pepper, sliced in strips
2 large           tomato, quartered ( or canned stewed tomatoes)
1 pc.             Jalapeno, for heat (optional)
¼ cup            white vinegar
½ cup            mango nectar
1                 cup chicken broth
½ cup            chives (roughly cut)
1 tbsp.            dark sesame oil
Canola oil for sautéing
Salt & pepper to taste
For thickener: 2 Tablespoons cornstarch dispersed in 1/4 cup cold water

Sautee onions & garlic, cover and allow to sweat
Add celery ginger, jalapeno, tomatoes & bell peppers, cover and cook for 2 minutes
Add in white vinegar, mango nectar and chicken broth simmer until all flavors are blended
Salt & pepper & drizzle in sesame oil, stir lightly and pour over fried carp.

Garnish & top generously with chives
Serve over hot steamed rice