Classic stir-fried dish made with ginger and spring onion
STIR-fried fish slices with ginger and spring onion is a classic Cantonese dish that is easily available at most Chinese tai chow restaurants.
But it is also a really simple dish that can be easily prepared at home.
Stir-fried fish slices with ginger and spring onion is a delectable Cantonese dish that’s easy to prepare and goes well with steamed rice. — Photos: LOW BOON TAT/THE STAR
The preferred fish for this dish is grouper fillet because there are no fine bones embedded in the flesh of this fish, which makes preparation so much more convenient.
The other options are the snakehead varieties of either toman or haruan, which offer especially tender fillets and sweet flesh.
One of the ways to get bigger slices of fish is to cut them into butterfly slices.
Grouper is commonly used, with ginger and spring onion.
The method is to place the fish skin side down on the cutting board. Then cut the first slice, but not all the way through, before cutting the second slice until it is detached.
This way, the two slices will be attached along the skin and can be spread out into a larger slice.
Marinating the fish slices with cornstarch helps keep the fish smooth, but this will make the slices stick to each other.
Finely slice the ginger, which is one of the stars of this dish.
So when flash-frying, be sure to toss in each slice separately so that you do not end up with a big mass of fish in the pan.
Flash-frying is a common method in Chinese cooking for meat and fish so that the flesh remains soft and smooth.
Cut spring onion to be separated into whites and greens.
Also called velveting, it briefly coats the meat in hot oil so that the outer surface is cooked to seal in the juices. It is cooked only for about 30 seconds, then removed from the hot oil and drained on a wire strainer to get rid of the excess oil.
Be sure to clean the pan before you start sautéing the aromatics, or the bits will burn in the hot oil.
Cut the fish into butterfly slices, then marinate with sesame oil, soy sauce, white pepper and cornstarch for about 15 minutes.
I like to separate the spring onion whites to saute at the start of the stir-fry and add the greens at the end of the cooking to keep them from turning yellow.
You may add Shaoxing wine to deglaze just after returning the fish to the pan or a splash of water to create gravy with the seasoning.
Add the seasoning and finally the spring onion greens to the stir-fried fish.
You may also add about one teaspoon of cornstarch to the water, but it is really not necessary, although it gives the dish a glossy finish.
The dish is ready when it comes to a simmer, so dish it out immediately and serve it hot with steamed rice.
Stir-fried fish slices with ginger and spring Onion
Ingredients
450g grouper fillet
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp white pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
15g garlic, sliced
80g ginger, sliced
80g spring onions, separated into whites and greens
1 cup cooking oil
Seasoning
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Method
Cut the fish into butterfly slices. Marinate the fish slices with sesame oil, light soy sauce, pepper and cornstarch for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Flash-fry fish slices in one cup of oil for about 30 seconds, then remove and drain excess oil on a wire strainer.
Clean the pan and heat 2 tablespoons of oil to stir-fry sliced ginger until fragrant.
Add spring onion whites and sliced garlic and saute until slightly wilted.
Return flash-fried fish slices to the pan and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add seasoning and a splash of water to simmer for another 2 minutes.
Toss in spring onion greens and stir until combined, then dish out to serve immediately with steam rice.
