Today’s recipe of Schezwan fish has become my new-found love after trying it following the recipe of a very popular Chinese restaurant here in India named Mainland China!
Schezwan fish is a wonderful Chinese take with fish in delicious Chinese sauce which in this case is addictive Schezwan sauce and the final product proved to be simply outstanding! This Schezwan fish is a great side over stir fried noodles or some Chinese fried rice; the sauce complements the fish so beautifully that you will continue to crave for more.
This dish of Schezwan fish can also be called fish in Schezwan sauce as it is served with quite a good amount of gravy which is another highlight of this dish and hence goes best with rice or noodles. Being an avid lover of Chinese food, I can live on such delicious Chinese dishes like this Schezwan fish with noodles/rice for days without craving for my own Indian food. Plus, when it is seafood, I am totally taken!
I have always been very fond of fish since my childhood, though we were more habituated with river fish as opposed to sea fish. If you are not aware of river fish, let me tell you river and sea fishes are very distinctly different in taste and flavor. Whichever fish you like, try to chose a meaty boneless fish fillet for this Schezwan fish recipe. I opted for boneless Basa fish fillet for my Schezwan fish and it turned out wonderful.
But Basa may not be a widely available fish, hence you can use Tilapia or catfish which are very similar is texture and your Schezwan fish will come out equally fantastic or even better. Now Schezwan sauce may sound little intimidating to some of you due to its spice level, but it is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of Hoisin sauce in the final gravy with the perfect depth of flavor added by oyster sauce.
I adapted this Schezwan fish recipe from the cookbook published by the Mainland China restaurant which is a very popular chain of Chinese restaurants offering delicious Chinese delicacies in many cities of India. If you haven’t guessed already, it is indeed my favorite Chinese food place where I get authentic Chinese flavors in a vast array of menu.
So, when I chanced upon their recipe book which contains mostly all of their secret recipes, I obviously could not stop myself from purchasing it; not only because I love to eat Chinese food but also because I am deeply addicted to cooking. Today, after trying this scrumptious Schezwan fish, I can’t be thankful enough to myself for getting the book!
If you are a seafood lover like me, then this Schezwan fish dish is just for you. You can use any fish of your choice and if you want to serve it as a dry dish in stead of gravy, you can toss the fried fish in the sauce on high heat until the water evaporates and sauce clings to the fish pieces.
Sprinkle some white sesame seeds & freshly chopped scallion on top of the Schezwan fish, serve as a quick snack on your next game day party and your friends will not stop thanking you ever! If you are planning to serve this Schezwan fish as a main course, then you must check out my shrimp fried rice recipe which would be the best companion for this Schezwan fish – it would be the double bonanza for every seafood lover! Enjoy!
- White fish fillet – 4
- Egg white – 1
- Ginger juice – 1 tsp
- Cornflour – 1 tbsp
- Salt and white pepper powder to taste
- Chilli oil – 2 tbsp
- Red chilli – 2
- Garlic cloves – 3 to 4, sliced
- Hoisin sauce – 2 tbsp
- Oyster sauce – 2 tbsp
- Scezwan sauce – 2 tbsp
- White vinegar – ½ tsp
- Cornflour – 1 tbsp
- Salt and white pepper powder to taste
- Marinade the fish with egg white, ginger juice, cornflour, salt and white pepper powder and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Take them out just before cooking.
- Heat chilli oil in a non-stick wok/skillet. Add the fish fillet and lightly sauté them till both sides are golden brown. Take out and keep on a tissue paper.
- Add red chillies to the same oil. Add the sliced garlic and sauté for a minute.
- Add all three sauces – oyster, hoisin, schezwan – and vinegar. Stir then on high flame for two minutes.
- Add the fried fish and coat well. Splash some water if the sauce is too thick.
- Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tablespoon of water and add it to the fish. Cook the gravy on high heat till it turns thick.
- Remove from fire, sprinkle some chopped parsley or scallion and serve the warm Schezwan fish on the side with Chinese fried rice.
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