Crispy Pine Nut Fish

Crispy Pine Nut Fish

　　The "Crispy Pine Nut Fish," beloved by European guests, is adapted from the northern Chinese classic "Squirrel Fish." Made with the tender back meat of grass carp, it is especially crisp, fragrant, and appetizing. While Squirrel Fish is shaped like a squirrel, Pine Nut Fish resembles a pine nut—hence its name—which also accommodates European aversion to mice.

　　How to prepare Crispy Pine Nut Fish:

　　1. Scale the fish, remove the entrails and gills, then rinse clean. Pat the fish dry with a cloth. Cut off the head, then make a horizontal cut into the head with a flat knife, keeping the blade against the backbone and rib bones.

　　2. Place the fish skin-side down on the cutting board. Make diagonal slashes in a shuttle shape (increase the angle if the fish fillet is thin), cutting 4/5 of the way through the fish. Ensure the cuts are even in depth and fully open. When fried, the cuts will puff up and curl.

　　3. Cut the fish head open from the top to the mouth, then gently pry it apart. Lightly pound the head 1–2 times with the flat side of the knife to flatten it, creating a slight bulge in the middle.

　　4. Place the slashed fish fillets on a plate. Marinate them with rice wine, salt, MSG, and pepper until well seasoned, then set aside.

　　5. Traditional batter for Crispy Pine Nut Fish uses an egg-flour paste. Place flour in a bowl, add water, then mix in salt, MSG, chili powder, and white sesame powder. Beat eggs into an egg wash and pour into the bowl. Stir slowly at first, then faster, starting lightly and then more forcefully to achieve a thick, sticky consistency. Ensure there are no lumps, but avoid overmixing. Once the base batter is ready, add lard and baking powder, stir briefly, and it’s ready to use. This batter should not be stored for long and must be used immediately after mixing.

　　6. Coating the fish: Lightly dust the marinated fish fillets with dry starch, ensuring both sides are evenly coated to dry the surface and seal the pores and cuts for better batter adhesion. Hold the fish tail and shake gently to open the cuts and remove any unattached starch. Drag each starch-dusted fillet through the batter, ensuring every stripe is coated, then shake off excess batter.

　　7. Cooking:

　　1. Heat 2.5–3 kg of fresh lard in a wok. When hot, place the battered fillets flat in the oil. When they float and begin to take shape, rotate each fillet in opposite directions with both hands to create the pine nut curl pattern. Dip the fish head in batter and fry until it floats and turns golden brown. Remove both fillets and the head, let cool, and set aside.

　　2. Turn the heat to high and bring the oil to 80% hot. Return the fillets and fish head to the oil. Fry while stirring with a strainer to ensure even cooking until golden and crispy. Remove and arrange on a plate.

　　3. In a pan, heat 22 g of lard. Add scallions, ginger, pine nuts, and broad bean paste, and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add diced mushrooms, cooked ham, cooked pork, diced bamboo shoots, diced cake, peas, diced lotus root, and diced red chili. Pour in clear broth and rice wine, then add salt, MSG, and pepper. Stir in tomato paste, sugar, and white vinegar, then mix in a cornstarch slurry to form a slightly loose sauce. Add 75 g of boiling oil, stir well, then add another 45 g of boiling oil and stir again until the sauce becomes frothy with oil. Drizzle in sesame oil, then pour the sauce over the fish. **Characteristics:** Exquisite craftsmanship, beautiful presentation. Crispy outside, tender inside, with a balanced sweet-and-sour flavor and a mix of salty, spicy, savory notes.