Ingredients
1 live Yellow River carp (about 1000 g / 2.2 lbs)
Seasonings
750 g (about 1 1/2 cups) peanut oil (100 g or about 1/2 cup will be absorbed), 5 g salt, 20 g scallion, 15 g ginger, 150 g (about 2/3 cup) pork broth, 25 g each of water starch, garlic, Shaoxing wine, and vinegar, 10 g soy sauce, 50 g (about 1/4 cup) sugar.
Instructions
1. Kill and clean the live carp, then make eight deep cuts to the bone on each side of the fish. Place it in a dish and marinate briefly with salt, Shaoxing wine, scallions, and ginger. Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil, and when it reaches 70% hot (about 350°F/175°C), mix cornstarch with water to create a thin batter. Coat the fish thoroughly in the batter, then deep-fry until golden brown. Remove, gently squeeze the fish to loosen it, then return it to oil heated to 80% hot (about 400°F/200°C) and fry until deep golden brown and the exterior is crispy. Remove and place on an oval platter.
2. While the fish is frying, heat another wok over high heat and add an appropriate amount of peanut oil. Sauté the minced scallion, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then add soy sauce, sugar, and pork broth and bring to a boil. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry, drizzle in fragrant vinegar, remove from heat, and pour the sauce over the fried fish. This dish features a crispy exterior and tender interior, with a perfectly balanced sweet-and-sour sauce.