Singapore Fish

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

1 pound whitefish fillets (see Note)

1 egg white

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons white wine

Salt and pepper

Oil for frying

1 lrg onion, cut into ½ inch-thick wedges

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1 small can pineapple pieces, drained and juice reserved, or ½ fresh

pineapple, peeled and cubed

1 small can mandarin orange segments, drained and juice reserved

1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons sugar, optional

Pinch salt and pepper

Preparation

(Note: Chicken may be used in place of the white fish and cooked in the same way. Garnish with Chinese parsley, if desired. Serve with plain rice, fried rice or cooked Chinese noodles.)

Starting at the tail end of the fillets, skin them using a sharp knife. Slide the knife back and forth along the length of each fillet, pushing the fish flesh along as you go. Cut the fish into even-sized pieces, about 2 inches.

Mix together the egg white, cornstarch, wine, salt and pepper. Place the fish in the mixture and leave to stand while heating the oil.

Place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil in a wok and heat on medium-high.

When the oil is hot, fry a few pieces of fish at a time until light golden brown and crisp. Remove the fish to paper towels to drain, and continue until all the fish is cooked.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok and add the onion. Stir fry the onion for 1 to 2 minutes and add the curry powder. Cook the onion and curry powder for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the juice from the pineapple and mandarin oranges and bring to a boil.

Take a spoonful of the boiling fruit juice and combine it with the cornstarch and lime juice mixture. Return this mixture to the wok and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and add sugar, if desired. Add the fruit, water chestnuts and fried fish to the wok and stir to coat. Heat through 1 minute and serve immediately.