Tien soan yu (Sweet and Sour Fish)

Serve 6 good size portions

Ingredients 

3 Chinese mushrooms, salted

1 large, whole, fresh coral trout 

500 mL sunflower oil 

2 tablespoons extra oil 

2 onions, sliced

100 g lean pork, finely diced 

½ carrot, cut into match sticks

80 mL soya sauce

80 mL Chinese vinegar 

2 teaspoons sugar

500 mL water

1 dessertspoon cornflour 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 bunch spring onions, sliced into 1cm lengths 

1. Soak the mushrooms in water to soften, then remove and slice.

2. Dry the fish with absorbent paper, patting until it is quite dry. Make two deep slashes in the flesh on both sides.

3. Heat the oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Deep fry the fish until golden and crisp on the outside (but not cooked through at this stage), for approximately 3 minutes, then remove. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

4. Heat additional oil until very hot in separate frying pan or wok and stir fry the onion, carrot, pork and mushrooms for a few minutes. Then add soya sauce, vinegar, sugar and water.

5. Boil the water, then add the fish and cook for another 5 minutes. Cover the pan so that the sauce doesn't evaporate. Remove fish when cooked – the flesh should be firm but cooked.

6. Mix cornflour with a little water and stir through sauce.

7. Add the sesame oil to give a 'shine' or glaze to the sauce. Stir through.

8. Spoon sauce over the fish and garnish with the spring onions.