Chinese Braised Whole Fish

This is another 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' Fish Dish which every home cooks would love to add into their menu or to-cook-dish for their family to savor with a plate of freshly cooked fluffy rice. Indeed it's a tasty dish which calls for more rice with the yummy sauce!!

Ingredients:

1 whole fish (I use golden promfret)

1 tablespoon cornstarch/cornflour

4 tablespoons cooking oil

3 spring onions (whites cut into 2" pieces, some green thinly sliced for garnish)

1 thumb sized ginger (peeled and sliced)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoon sugar

Methods:

1. In a bowl, add water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar.  Mix until sugar dissolves and set aside.
2. Clean the fish and score with 1" space in between cuts.  Pat the fish dry with paper towels.  Coat the fish with a thin layer of cornstarch/corn flour.  Shake off excess flour.
3. Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Swirl the wok to let the oil coat the sides of the wok.  Very carefully lower the fish into the wok.  Let cook without touching for 2 minutes.  Use a spatula to carefully release the fish and flip it.  Continue to cook until browned.  Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same wok, with about 2 tablespoons of oil, reheat the wok.  Add spring onion whites and ginger.  Stir and cook until fragrant.
5. Add in the sauce ingredients from (1).  Bring it to a boil and add back the fish.  Put the lid on and let it braise over medium heat.  Flip the fish over, cover with lid and continue to braise for another 2-3 minutes.  
6. Remove the lid, switch off heat and transfer the fish to a serving plate.  Drizzle the sauce over the fish.
7. Remove and discard the spring onion and ginger.
8. Serve immediately!

This recipe is adapted from 'Omnivore's Cookbook' by Maggie Zhu.