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Easy Sweet and Sour Fish

Crispy golden fish in a glossy sweet and sour sauce with pineapple and colourful vegetables. A Cantonese classic that is bright, balanced, and irresistibly comforting.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients
  • 300 g firm white fish cut into 4 cm pieces
  • 1 egg white
  • 30 g plain flour
  • 30 g cornflour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅓ tsp white pepper
  • 8 g fresh ginger finely sliced
  • 1 small white onion cut into medium chunks
  • ½ green pepper cut into medium chunks
  • ½ red pepper cut into medium chunks
  • 1 carrot thinly sliced
  • 100 g tinned pineapple chunks reserve syrup
  • 2 tbsp groundnut oil plus extra oil for frying
  • 1 scallion finely chopped, for garnish
Sweet and sour sauce
  • 100 ml sugar
  • 100 ml rice vinegar
  • 100 ml ketchup
  • 100 ml pineapple syrup from the tin or pineapple juice
  • 1 tsp potato starch or cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowls
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 medium wok or deep frying pan
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 small saucepan or wok (for sauce)

Method
 

  1. Place the fish in a bowl. Add egg white, salt, and white pepper. Mix gently and set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, and pineapple syrup. Set aside.
  3. Heat enough oil in a wok or deep frying pan to reach about 4 cm up the side. Heat until ready for frying.
  4. Mix plain flour and cornflour together. Coat each piece of fish evenly in the flour mixture.
  5. Shallow-fry the fish in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
  6. In a clean wok, heat 2 tbsp groundnut oil. Add ginger, onion, carrot, green pepper, and red pepper. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes until just tender.
  7. Add pineapple chunks and the prepared sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute until bubbling.
  8. If a thicker sauce is preferred, lower the heat and stir in a little of the starch slurry until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
  9. Add the fried fish and gently toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
  10. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped scallion. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use firm white fish: Cod, haddock, or pollock work best for clean, flaky texture.
  • Hot oil is essential: This seals the coating quickly and keeps the fish crisp.
  • Balance the sauce: Sweet and sour should be bright, not overly sweet or sharp.
  • Add fish last: This prevents it from breaking and keeps the coating intact.
  • Restaurant finish: Serve on a hot plate to keep the sauce glossy and the fish crisp longer.
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