Recipe - Basic Braised Soy Fish

1 (2lb) fish
One half teaspoon Salt
Flour
3 sl Fresh ginger root
1 Or
1 cup Water
4 tablespoon Soy souce
2 tablespoon Sherry
One half teaspoon Sugar
One half teaspoon Salt
4 (up to)
6 tablespoon Oil

1. Have fish cleaned and scaled, but left whole. Rinse in cold water. Dry
well, inside and out, with paper toweling and score on both sides.

2. Sprinkle fish with the salt and let stand 10 minutes. Then coat lightly
with flour.

3. Mince ginger root and scallions; then combine with water, soy sauce,
sherry, sugar and remaining salt.

4. Heat oil in a heavy pan until nearly smoking. Gently lower in fish; fry
over high heat 1 minute on each side, then over medium heat 2One half minutes
on each side. Baste continually with hot oil. (To turn fish over, loosen it
with the back of a spatula and turn gently. The pan may be removed
temporarily from the burner while the fish is being turned.)

5. Pour gingerscallion mixture over fish and bring quickly to a boil. Then
cook, covered, over medium heat until done (15 to 20 minutes), turning fish
halfway through cooking.

NOTE: Braised soy fish is good served hot or cold. It may be prepared in
quantity and served cold as a side dish or with drinks. (Its sauce is
delicious when jellied.) Braised fish may also be browned in advance, then
cooked in sauce, as in step 5, just before serving. Once it's completely
cooked, however, it should never be reheated. VARIATIONS:

1. For the water, substitute stock.

2. For the white sugar, substitute brown sugar.

3. In step 2, omit the salt and rub fish lightly with soy sauce before
coating with flour.

4. In step 3, add to the sauce mixture any or all of the following: 2
tablespoons smoked ham, minced; 1 celery stalk, minced; few drops of sesame
oil or vinegar.

5. During the last few minutes of cooking, add 1One half cups fresh tomatoes,
peeled and minced ; or 2 cups bean curd, cut or sliced up or cubed. Cook only to heat
through.

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.