Ingredients
750 g (about 1 1/2 lbs) carp, 300 ml (about 1 1/4 cups) clear broth.
Seasonings
1500 g (about 3.3 lbs) peanut oil, 200 g (about 1 cup) sugar, 120 g (about 1/2 cup) vinegar, 100 g (about 3/4 cup) wet cornstarch slurry, 10 g (about 2 teaspoons) each soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, 3 g (about 1 teaspoon) each minced garlic and salt, 2 g (about 1/2 teaspoon) each chopped scallion and ginger.
Instructions
1. Scale the carp, remove the innards and gills, then make a straight cut every 2.5 cm along both sides of the fish, followed by a diagonal cut to create a turned-over pattern; lift the tail to open the cuts, sprinkle cooking wine and salt into the cuts and marinate briefly; combine clear broth, soy sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, sugar, salt, and wet starch into a sauce mixture.
2. Sprinkle wet starch over the cuts, then fry in oil heated to about 70% hot (350°F/175°C) until the skin hardens. Reduce to low heat and fry for 3 minutes, then increase to high heat and fry until golden brown. Remove and arrange on a serving plate. This dish is a classic Shandong specialty, originating from Luokou Town at the Yellow River dock in Jinan. It is made with Yellow River carp, prepared by frying and then flash-frying with sauce. The fish is characterized by its crispy exterior and tender interior, with a sweet and sour flavor.