Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet Recipe Pinoy Style: A Delicious Twist on a Classic Dish

If you're a fan of sweet and sour dishes, you'll love this Pinoy-style sweet and sour fish fillet recipe. It's a popular dish in the Philippines and is usually served with steamed rice. This recipe is easy to follow and doesn't require a lot of ingredients, making it a perfect dish to prepare for a quick lunch or dinner.

To start, you'll need to prepare the fish fillet by removing the skin and bones. Then, you'll need to season it with calamansi juice, salt, pepper, and MSG. After that, you'll need to coat it with cornstarch, dip it in beaten eggs, and roll it in bread crumbs before frying it until golden brown.

Once the fish fillet is cooked, it's time to prepare the sweet and sour sauce. This sauce is made with a combination of tomato ketchup, vinegar, and sugar, and is usually cooked with sautéed vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and carrots. The fish fillet is then tossed in the sauce and served with steamed rice. It's a delicious and satisfying meal that's perfect for any occasion.

Key Takeaways

• Preparing the fish fillet is an important step in making a delicious sweet and sour fish dish.
• The sweet and sour sauce is made with tomato ketchup, vinegar, and sugar, and is usually cooked with sautéed vegetables.
• This Pinoy-style sweet and sour fish fillet recipe is easy to follow and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.

Preparing the Fish Fillet

Selecting the Fish

To make the perfect sweet and sour fish fillet, the first step is to select the right type of fish. You can use a variety of fish fillets such as dory, tilapia, grouper, red snapper, catfish, cod, or bass. It is important to choose a fish fillet with firm flesh that is easy to cook and has a mild flavour. Make sure the fish is fresh and free of any odours.

Creating the Batter

The batter is what gives the fish fillet its crispy texture. To create the batter, you will need flour, cornstarch, egg, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat an egg. Dip the fish fillet in the egg mixture and then coat it with the flour mixture. Make sure the fish fillet is evenly coated with the batter.

Frying the Fillet

To fry the fish fillet, heat a sufficient amount of cooking oil in a deep frying pan. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the coated fish fillet in the pan. Fry the fish fillet until it is golden brown on both sides. Make sure the fish is cooked thoroughly. Once it is done, remove the fish fillet from the pan and place it on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

Crafting the Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sauce Ingredients

To make a delicious sweet and sour sauce for your fish fillet, you will need the following ingredients:

• Vinegar
• Sugar
• Ketchup or tomato ketchup
• Bell pepper (red or green)
• Onion
• Carrot
• Pineapple
• Water
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Ginger

You may also add pineapple juice or pineapple chunks to give your sauce a fruity flavour.

Combining the Elements

To start, mix cornstarch and sugar with ¼ cup water in a saucepan. Stir until the ingredients combine completely. Next, add finely chopped onion, garlic, cucumber (optional), tomato (optional), bell pepper, pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and margarine.

Stir the mixture well and let it simmer for a few minutes until the vegetables are cooked. If the sauce is too thick, add water to thin it out. If it's too thin, add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up.

Finally, add salt to taste and adjust the sweetness and sourness of the sauce by adding more sugar or vinegar as needed. Once you're happy with the taste, pour the sauce over your fried fish fillet and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients are needed for a classic Pinoy sweet and sour fish fillet?

To make a classic Pinoy sweet and sour fish fillet, you will need fish fillet, flour, cornstarch, egg, salt, pepper, cooking oil, onion, garlic, bell pepper, vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce, and water. You can also add pineapple, carrots, and green onions for added flavour.

How do you prepare and cook a baked sweet and sour fish fillet, Filipino style?

To prepare and cook a baked sweet and sour fish fillet, Filipino style, you will need to marinate the fish fillet in a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi juice, salt, and pepper. Then, you can coat the fish fillet with flour and cornstarch and bake it in the oven until it is crispy. To make the sweet and sour sauce, you can sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and pineapple in a pan, and then add vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce, and water. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens, and then pour it over the baked fish fillet.

Can you share a simple method to make the sauce for sweet and sour fish fillet?

To make a simple sweet and sour sauce for fish fillet, you will need vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce, water, and cornstarch. Mix the vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce, and water in a bowl, and then add cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

What's the secret to keeping a fish fillet crispy when cooking it?

The secret to keeping a fish fillet crispy when cooking it is to make sure that the oil is hot enough before frying the fish. You can also coat the fish fillet with a mixture of flour and cornstarch to help it stay crispy.

How do you incorporate pineapple into a sweet and sour fish dish?

To incorporate pineapple into a sweet and sour fish dish, you can add diced pineapple to the sweet and sour sauce. The pineapple adds a sweet and tangy flavour that complements the fish well.

What are the steps to create a traditional escabeche sauce for fish?

To create a traditional escabeche sauce for fish, you will need vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cooking oil. Sauté the garlic, onion, and bell pepper in a pan until they are soft. Then, add vinegar, sugar, and salt to the pan and let the mixture simmer until the sauce thickens. Pour the sauce over the fried fish and serve.