Sōngshǔ Yú (Squirrel Fish) is a traditional Chinese recipe for a classic dish of fish fried in hot oil that is arranged to resemble a squirrel and accompanied with vegetables and mushrooms. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Chinese version of: Squirrel Fish (Sōngshǔ Yú).
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This dish is named after the shape of the fish once they are cooked. When fried the fish curled up and with their heads and tails still arranged so that they resemble squirrels on the serving plate. As the fish is served with heat and tail intact this would be suitable for serving as a lucky dish on Chinese New Year.
Ingredients:
2 dried Chinese mushrooms
30g freshly-shelled peas (or defrosted, frozen, garden peas)
1kg sea bass, cleaned (but with head and tail left attached) and de-scaled or substitute any firm white fish
750ml groundnut oil
70g plain flour
1 small onion, cut into 6mm thick slices
1 small carrot, scraped and cut into 2cm wedges
4 water chestnuts, cut into 12mm dice
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
60ml white wine vinegar
50g sugar
1 tsp rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato catsup
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed to a slurry in 2 tbsp chicken stock or water
Method:
Place the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with 120ml warm water then set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Discard the water, cut away the mushroom stems and quarter each mushroom cap then set aside.
Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the peas and cook for about 8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold, running, water then set aside.
Wash and dry the fish then using a sharp knife remove the head of the fish at the point where it joins the body. Turn the heat upside down and with a few sharp blows of a cleaver (or a heavy knife) break the head bone in the middle. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the fish head then lay the fish on its side and split in half, cutting along the backbone (but ensure you leave the tail attached). Lift out the backbone and sever at the base of the tail.
Use a sharp knife to score the flesh side of each fillet with diagonal cuts 2cm apart. Scoring through the skin to the flesh underneath. You will end-up with two fillets that are still attached at the tail.
Pour 720ml of the oil into a 30cm diameter wok and heat until a haze forms above the oil. Sprinkle the flour onto the plate then press the scored sides of the fish into this. Next score the inside of the fish. Hold the fish by the take and shake to remove any excess flour. Quickly lower into the hot oil.
Now flour the head and add this to the oil. Fry the fish for about 6 minutes, or until the body and head are cooked golden brown. Lift the fish from the oil and drain on paper towels. Transfer the fish, skin side down, to a heated plate and set the head back in its original position. Place in an oven pre-heated to 110°C to keep warm.
Drain the oil from the wok the return the wok to the heat and allow to heat through for 30 seconds. Pour in 2 tbsp of oil and swirl the pan, heating for 30 seconds, until the oil is very hot, but not quite smoking. Now add the mushrooms, peas, carrot, onion, water chestnuts and garlic. Stir-fry for 3 minutes then add the salt, vinegar, sugar, rice wine, soy sauce, catsup and cornflour stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are glazed. Pour over the fish and serve immediately.
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