crispy sichuan new zealand snapper (pink sea bream)

serves 2

• 1 1/2 – 2 lb. whole new zealand snapper, red snapper, yellowtail snapper, or black sea bass (scaled, gilled, gutted)
• 2 t olive oil
• 1 cup peanut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 t fresh ginger, grated
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, all of white section and 2/3 of green section
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 t mirin
• pinch of sichuan peppercorns
• 2/3 cup fish stock
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 t cornstarch
• 1 small fresh thai chili or serrano (if not available, pinch of dried red pepper flakes)
• drake’s batter mix or seasoned flour
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

the sauce

in a large heavy-duty pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium – high heat. add scallions, garlic and ginger and stir until the onions soften and the garlic just starts to brown. add soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, peppercorns and mirin. add fish stock and stir. dissolve the teaspoon of cornstarch into the 1/2 cup of water. when sauce comes back to boil, add the water with dissolved corn starch to sauce, stir and reduce until sauce starts to thicken (sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat fish but not be to thick). take sauce off the heat, set aside.

the fish

with a sharp knife, score the fish in slices about 2 inches apart dust in drake’s batter mix or seasoned flour. in a large heavy-duty pan or iron skillet, heat peanut oil over medium – high heat. when oil is hot (when vigorously sizzling when tail of fish is lowered in) add fish (if fish is a little longer than pan, have tail stick out from one end, then after 3 minutes or so slide fish forward to make the tail crisp).

fry fish for a total of 10 minutes per inch of thickness (about 5 min. a side) or until fish is just opaque to the bone. remove fish to drain on paper bag or paper towel.

bring sauce up to heat. pour most of sauce on platter, serve fish on top of sauce, and then lightly glaze fish with sauce. garnish with chopped cilantro.

chopsticks make it a cinch to pick the nice flakes of the fish off the bone.

enjoy!