Delicious and Flavorful Sweet and Sour Sauce for Barramundi Fish

How to Prepare Sweet and Sour Barramundi

• 1

  Prepare the Barramundi

  You can buy pre-prepared barramundi at the supermarket or reputable food stores to save time. Then you use sliced lemon to gently rub on the fish to remove the slime.

  If you don’t have lemon, you can rub with salt or rinse the fish with cold water mixed with a little alcohol or vinegar. Continue to rinse the fish with clean water once more, then place it in a colander to drain.

  After that, use paper towels to wipe off any remaining water on the fish to easily marinate with spices.

  Use a sharp knife to make light cuts in the fish meat in 3 – 4 lines on one side depending on the size of the fish. The purpose is to allow the spices to penetrate easily while cutting through the layer of collagen on the fish’s skin, helping to prevent the fish from curling when frying. So do not cut the fish meat apart like filleting.

  Another way, if you don’t want the fish to curl without making cuts, is to rub a little salt on the fish skin after gutting or to pierce a stick through from the gills to the body.

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare other ingredients

  Green onions should be cleaned, then take half to chop finely, and cut the remaining half into 3 pieces, then slice them into small strands vertically to put into the fish’s belly.

  Coriander should be washed with water and then cut into 3 – 4 pieces of similar size to the chopped green onions. After that, soak the green onions and coriander in a bowl of water to reduce the pungent smell of the green onions.

  Peel the garlic and chop it finely; you can use a blender to save time. Rinse the chili with water, take a little to chop finely. The rest should be cut in half, remove the seeds, then slice into strands and soak in a cup of water.

  Scrape the ginger to remove the skin, smash it lightly, and then slice it. You can wear nylon gloves to avoid heat when preparing the ginger.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Marinate the fish

  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper to the fish, using your hands to rub the pepper and salt evenly over the entire body of the fish.

  Insert the soaked scallions and cilantro into the belly of the fish, add sliced ginger, and let the fish absorb the seasoning for about 15 – 20 minutes.

  After the fish has absorbed the seasoning, remove all the scallions and ginger from the belly of the fish. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl or basin and then add the fish into the starch.

  Roll the fish evenly in the starch basin, using your hands to sprinkle more starch into hidden areas such as the belly, head, and slices of meat,… so that the fish is evenly coated with starch on the outside.

  Put the fish on a large plate, add 3 tablespoons of water to the starch basin until the starch is slightly thickened. Continue to add the fish into the starch basin and do the same as above to ensure the fish absorbs as much starch as possible.

  

  

  
• 4

  Make the sauce

  Place a small pan on the stove and add 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, then add 4 tablespoons of tamarind juice and 3 tablespoons of chili sauce, stirring well until the sugar dissolves.

  When the sugar starts to boil, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and minced chili to sauté until fragrant. At this point, season the mixture with sugar, seasoning powder, and a little fish sauce to taste, then simmer until the mixture thickens slightly.

  
• 5

  Making sweet and sour fish sauce

  Place a pan on the stove, add 1 bowl of cooking oil and heat it until boiling. When the oil is hot, add the fish and fry until golden. You should fry over medium heat to ensure the fish cooks evenly and does not burn.

  Continue frying until the fish is nicely golden and cooked through.

  For the sauce, you can either pour it over the fish once it’s cooked or add both the fish and sauce to a new pan and simmer for another 2-3 minutes for the fish to absorb the sauce before serving.

  Tip

  • You can cover the pan to prevent oil splatter while frying. But keep an eye on it to ensure the fish doesn’t burn.
  • If there is not enough oil to fully submerge the fish, you can fry over medium heat and use a ladle to pour oil over the fish while cooking.

  

  
• 6

  Final product

  The sweet and sour barramundi is delicious and appealing. The fish is fragrant and rich, with the skin fried to a crispy golden and the flesh tender with a natural sweetness. The sauce is flavorful, with a perfect balance of sour and sweet, served alongside fresh vegetables or white rice and a bowl of spicy sour garlic chili dipping sauce for a wonderful experience.