Quick and easy Chinese sweet and sour fish recipe made with crispy coated fish fillets, onion, bell peppers, pineapple, and classic sweet and sour sauce. Serve over steamed rice or noodles for a satisfying complete meal. In this recipe, I am sharing an easy-to-follow recipe, along with tips on how to serve it best.
Impress your family and friends with this classic Chinese takeout favourite seafood dish! If you enjoy the flavours of Chinese seafood dishes, Chinese Salt and Pepper Squid and Kung Po King Prawn recipes will undoubtedly delight your taste buds.
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Why you would love this recipe
This sweet and sour fish offers a delightful combination of flavours, crispy coated fish with a tantalizing sweet and tangy sauce. With this easy-to-follow recipe, anyone can create a perfect quick and delicious Chinese takeout favourite meal at home. A great dish to serve for family gatherings and dinners.
When you cook it at home, you can control the ingredients, ensuring the use of fresh and good-quality fish fillets and customize the sweetness and sourness to taste.
Growing up in an Asian household, sweet and sour dishes are an absolute favourite among all family members. We love preparing with a diverse selection of meats, seafood, tofu, and vegetable. Notably, our Sweet and Sour Prawn and Sweet and Sour Chicken recipes have gained popularity among our friends and readers and I am confident that you, too will love them.
Ingredients you'll need
Fish - I am using cod fish fillets in this recipe. You can add your choice of fish fillets such as tilapia, cod, snapper, catfish, haddock, etc. These fish fillets are popular choices that go well with sweet and sour sauce.
Vegetables - Onion, red bell pepper, green bell peppers, garlic, and spring onions are classic vegetables that are mostly used for sweet and sour fish fillet recipes. Adding vegetables brings more flavour, colour, and texture to the dish. Feel free to omit the vegetables or customize them to your preference.
Pineapple Chunks- Bring additional sweetness and texture to the dish, pairing well with the sweet and sour sauce.
Flour Mix - Combine cornstarch, plain flour, garlic powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
Sweet and Sour Sauce - You will need 3 basic ingredients tomato ketchup, rice vinegar, and sugar. I love to add cornstarch to thicken the sauce and chicken powder for an extra rich umami flavour.
Prepare fish and batter
- First pat dry the fish fillets with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove excess moisture.
- Then cut them into small cubes and season them with salt and white pepper to enhance the flavour.
- In a bowl, add plain flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and baking powder and mix everything well. Follow with the egg white and gradually pour the water in. Combine well until it forms a smooth batter.
How to cook it
- Add the fish cubes to the batter and make sure to coat each piece with batter.
- Fry the battered fish in the preheated hot oil for 3-4 minutes or until both sides are crispy golden brown. Then remove the fish from the oil and place them over the cooling rack or paper towel.
- Combine sauce ingredients ( vinegar, tomato ketchup, sugar, salt, cornstarch, water, and chicken powder ) in a small bowl and mix everything well. Set it aside.
- Heat the large wok/pan over medium heat, drizzle oil and stir-fry the garlic onion and bell peppers.
- Pour the sauce in and cook until the sauce starts to get thickened and glossy.
- Then add the fried fish pieces and toss everything well with the sauce.
Top Tips
- Overcrowding frying oil causes a drop in oil temperature and it can result in a greasy soggy fried fish.
- Fry the fish fillets in small batches and do not overcrowd the frying oil.
- Maintain the frying oil temperature around 350'F and adjust the heat if needed.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, you can cook whole fish in sweet and sour sauce. To prepare the whole fish, clean and cut slits, then season with salt and white pepper. Then dredge the fish in cornstarch and pan fry or deep fry the fish until crispy golden brown and set it aside. Cook the vegetables and sauce in a wok. Once the sauce is glossy, add the fried fish and coat well with the sauce.
It tastes best when freshly cooked for optimal flavour and texture. But you can prepare the sweet and sour sauce and vegetables ahead to save time. Fry the fish and combine it with the sauce just right before serving to maintain the crispy texture.
Do not recommend freezing it as it may not retain its original freshly cooked flavour and texture. The coating can become soggy and lose the quality of the dish during the freezing and reheating process.
You can keep it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days when properly stored. Let it cool down completely and place the leftover fish in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot thoroughly before serving.
How to serve this dish
Crispy sweet and sour fish goes well with plain rice or plain stir fry noodles, creating a perfect blend of flavours. You can also add a variety of side dishes and appetizers to create a complete Chinese banquet dinner. Five Spice Chicken, Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings and Char Siu Chicken are our family's favourite dishes that you might love.
More Popular Chinese Takeaway Favourite Dishes
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Sweet and Sour Fish Recipe
Ingredients
Fish and batter ingredients
- 200 gram Fish fillets Cod, haddock, basa, tilapia, etc. ( About 7.05oz )
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp White pepper or black pepper
- 1 Egg white
- 4 tbsp Plain flour
- 5 tbsp Corn starch
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- 3-4 tbsp Cold water Add more water if needed
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Tomato ketchup
- 1½ tbsp Rice vinegar Or white vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sugar brown or white sugar
- 1 tsp Salt or salt to taste
- 4 tbsp Water
- ¼ tsp Cornstarch
- ½ tsp Chicken powder or msg ( optional )
Vegetables
- ½ Onion Cut small cubes
- 1 Bell pepper Cut squares
- 8-10 Pineapple chunks Tinned and fresh
- 2 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
Instructions
- First pat dry the fish fillets with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove excess moisture. Then cut them into small cubes and season them with salt and white pepper to enhance the flavour.
- In a bowl, add plain flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and baking powder and mix everything well. Follow with the egg white and gradually pour the water in. Combine well until it forms a smooth batter.
- Add the fish cubes to the batter and make sure to coat each piece with batter. Fry the battered fish in the preheated hot oil for 3-4 minutes or until both sides are crispy golden brown. Then remove the fish from the oil and place them over the cooling rack or paper towel.
- Combine sauce ingredients ( vinegar, tomato ketchup, sugar, salt, cornstarch, water, and chicken powder ) in a small bowl and mix everything well. Set it aside.
- Heat the large wok/pan over medium heat, drizzle oil and stir-fry the garlic onion and bell peppers.
- Pour the sauce in and cook until the sauce starts to get thickened and glossy. Then add the fried fish pieces and toss everything well with the sauce.
Kevin says
I tried it with basa fillets. It doesn’t have lots of sauce but very crispy and tasty. Next time, I’ll double the sauce.
Khin says
Sounds delicious with extra sauce. We love to cook it with basa fish too. Thanks for trying it out and sharing your feedback with us.
Beaman says
A really good tasting meal, thank you.
Kim. if you dont mind me asking, have you written a cookbook, if so could you tell me the name of it. thanking you.
Khin says
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Beaman. I haven't published a cookbook yet. Will do in the future.