Ingredients

▢1 whole fish 750 g scaled and gutted

▢½ tbsp potato starch

▢½ tbsp plain flour

▢1 tbsp minced garlic

▢1 onion

▢1 to mato

▢¼ cup green pepper

▢¼ cup red pepper

▢¼ cup pineapple cubes canned or fresh

For the sweet and sour sauce:

▢5 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup

▢2½ tbsp chilli sauce

▢2½ tbsp plum sauce

▢1 tbsp rice vinegar

▢5 tbsp water

▢1 tbsp lemon juice

▢3 tbsp sugar

▢Pinch of salt

▢2 tsp corn starch mixed in 1 tbsp water for thickening

Instructions:

Wash the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut three diagonal slits into each side of the fish. Set aside.

Dice the coloured peppers into 2-cm cubes. Peel and slice the onion into thin wedges. Slice the tomato into 8 wedges.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Fry the whole fish:

Heat up a wok over high heat. Pour in enough oil to fill the wok till 1/4 full. Allow the oil to heat up until very hot.

Meanwhile, mix the potato starch and plain flour in a small bowl. Pat the fish evenly all over with the starch mixture, including the inside of the cavity and slits. Tap off the excess.

When the oil is very hot, deep fry one side until light golden brown, or near to 80 percent cooked. Do not move the fish once it’s in!

Turn over and fry the other side. Again, don’t move the fish. When near to 80 percent cooked, remove the fish with a slotted spoon. Wait for 15 seconds for the oil to get hot again.

Put the fish into the hot oil again. This time, fry until the surface is golden brown and crispy.

Turn over the fish and do the same with the other side. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon, and drain on a wire rack. Drain the wok of oil and clean it.

Cook the vegetables and sauce:

In a cleaned wok, heat up 1 tbsp oil over high heat. Once the oil is very hot, fry the garlic and onions until fragrant.

Add tomato, diced peppers, and pineapple chunks. Continue to stir fry until they start to soften and become aromatic, about 30 seconds

Pour in the sauce mix and bring the mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat until the mixture is at a gentle simmer. Then, stir in the corn starch solution. Allow the sauce to thicken until the consistency is like a thick glaze.

Stir in the chopped chopped spring onions.

Simmer for 10 seconds, then turn off the heat.

Set the fried fish on a serving plate. Dish out the sauce over the fish, and garnish with chopped coriander or cilantro. Serve immediately.