Sweet and Sour Carp
Sweet and Sour Carp is a classic renowned dish of Shandong cuisine. It is most famously made with Yellow River carp from Jinan, Shandong. The finished dish is shaped to resemble a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. It boasts crispy outer skin and tender flesh inside, with a pleasant sweet-and-sour flavour.
Difficulty
Medium
Prep Time
10min
Cook Time
10min
Medium · Heritage Classics
Method
Preparing the Fish (Critical for Removing Fishy Odor)
- Scale the fish, remove gills and innards. Scrape off all black abdominal membrane inside the cavity and dig out the fish teeth.
- Make an incision under the fish head, tap the body gently, then pull out the white fishy sensory veins on both sides.
- Peony scoring: Cut slashes 2 cm apart on both sides of the fish. Slice straight down to the backbone first, then cut horizontally along the bone — do not sever the flesh completely. Cut cross scores on the fish tail.
- Rub scallions, ginger, cooking wine, a pinch of salt and pepper all over the fish, inside and out. Marinate for 15 minutes. After marinating, pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper (to prevent oil splatter and batter peeling).
Making & Applying Batter
Mix starch and flour. Gradually stir in water to form a thick, yogurt-like consistency. Add one spoonful of cooking oil and stir well (for an extra crispy crust). Coat the whole fish evenly with batter, filling every slash crevice.
Deep-Frying the Fish (Double fry for crispy exterior & tender flesh)
- Pour ample oil into the wok. Heat to 70% heat (around 170°C; dense bubbles form quickly around a wooden chopstick dipped in oil).
- Hold the fish by the tail, lower the head into oil first to set shape. Continuously ladle hot oil over the body. Once the batter firms up, slowly lower the whole fish. Use a skimmer to prop up the fish to achieve the classic arched-head, upturned-tail shape. Deep-fry over medium heat for 4 minutes until pale golden, then lift out.
- Raise oil temperature to 80% heat, re-fry for 30–60 seconds until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate.
Double frying is the secret to keeping the fish crisp without turning soft after sitting!
Simmering the Sweet & Sour Sauce
- Leave a little base oil in the wok, sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
- Pour in pre-mixed sweet and sour sauce and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Drizzle in starch-water slurry little by little. Simmer until the sauce thickens, turns translucent and forms small fish-eye bubbles.
- Drizzle in half a spoonful of hot oil just before turning off heat to make the sauce glossy.
Finishing
Pour the boiling-hot sweet and sour sauce evenly over the fried carp. Garnish with green peas and shredded scallions, then serve.
Chef's notebook
Chef's Tips
Adjust Sweetness & Sourness：
- Add more vinegar for extra tang; add more sugar for greater sweetness. A small amount of salt enhances both sweet and sour flavours.
no tomato ketchup：
Authentic traditional Shandong recipe contains no tomato ketchup, yielding a pale golden hue. The ketchup version produces a bright red glossy sauce, which is more popular for home cooking and children.
Pat the fish completely dry：
Thoroughly pat all moisture off the fish! Any water left on the fish will easily cause the batter to fall off and trigger violent oil splattering when frying.
Pour the piping-hot sauce over the fish：
Pour the piping-hot sauce over the fried fish. The contrast between hot sauce and crispy fish brings out the fullest aroma. Do not pour the sauce ahead of time, or the fish skin will quickly turn soft.
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