Ingredients
400 g fresh fish fillets and 400 g cooked pork fatback, 50 g ham, 25 g lettuce, and 10 g fresh bamboo shoots.
Seasonings
250 g (about 1/2 lb) vegetable oil, 50 g (about 1/4 cup) egg whites, 50 g (about 1/2 cup) bean starch, 20 g (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) cooking wine, 10 g (about 2 teaspoons) sesame oil, 5 g (about 1 teaspoon) each sugar and vinegar, 4 g (about 3/4 teaspoon) salt.
Instructions
1. Finely chop the ham into small pieces; slice the fresh bamboo shoots into thin pieces 4 cm long and 1.7 cm wide.
2. Slice the fish into pieces 5 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 0.3 cm thick; slice the pork fat into pieces 5 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 0.5 cm thick. Prepare 24 pieces of each.
3. Marinate the fish slices with salt and cooking wine; spread the pork fat on a plate, use a clean cloth soaked in hot water, wring it dry, and blot the fat 1-2 times to remove excess oil, then evenly spread a paste of egg white and cornstarch, place one bamboo shoot slice on each piece of pork fat, and sprinkle the remaining pork fat pieces with finely diced ham.
4. Coat the fish slices with the remaining egg white and bean starch paste, then place them one by one on top of the fat pork slices that have been layered with bamboo shoots and ham.
5. Heat the wok over high heat until the sides are hot, add oil and swirl to coat, then remove the wok from the heat and pour out the excess oil. Place the fish slices with the fat side down one by one against the wok, starting from the sides and then the bottom. Return the wok to the heat and constantly move it to ensure even heat distribution. Cook until the fat side turns a duck-yellow color, using the rendered fat from the pork fat to fry the fish slices until cooked through. Pour out the excess oil, drizzle with sesame oil, and transfer to a plate. Garnish with lettuce dressed with sugar, salt, vinegar, and sesame oil. This dish is crispy, tender, and aromatic, with a balanced flavor profile, making it an excellent accompaniment to drinks.