Ingredients
1000 g (about 2.2 lbs) fresh yellow croaker (or other tender, boneless, scaled fresh fish), 25 g red fermented rice (red yeast rice), 1 egg white.
Seasonings
100 g (about 3.5 oz) cornstarch, 10 g (about 2 tsp) Sichuan peppercorn salt, 20 g (about 1.5 tbsp) sugar, MSG to taste, cooking wine to taste, sesame oil to taste, five-spice powder to taste, scallion and ginger paste to taste, 1000 g (about 4 cups) peanut oil (about 120 g/½ cup will be absorbed).
Instructions
1. Wash the fresh fish, cut off the head and tail, then using a flat knife, slice along the backbone to remove 2 fillets, discard the spine, and cut the fillets into 6×3×2 cm pieces.
2. Finely mince the red fermented rice on a cutting board and place it in a large bowl. Mix in cooking wine, sugar, scallions, minced ginger, and five-spice powder until well combined. Add the fish pieces and toss with the seasoning mixture, then marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an egg white batter by combining egg whites and cornstarch. Coat the marinated fish pieces evenly with this batter.
3. Heat a wok over high heat, coat with oil, then add peanut oil. When the oil reaches 50% of its smoking point (about 300°F/150°C), gently add the battered fish pieces one by one and deep-fry until cooked through. Remove, drain excess oil, and arrange on a serving plate. Deep-fry the fish head and tail until cooked, then place them at opposite ends of the plate to resemble a whole fish. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve. This dish is red on the outside and white on the inside, with tender, delicious meat that is suitable for all ages.