The key to making mullet tender is sizing. The raw material of mullet fillet is different from shredded pork and beef fillet because the fillet itself has relatively sufficient water content and the meat is relatively fresh and tender. Therefore, unlike raw materials such as shredded pork and beef fillet, it needs to be fully "watered" and swollen to ensure smoothness. For a tender texture, for raw materials such as fish fillets and shrimps, the sizing only needs to effectively control the water content. Generally, add an appropriate amount of egg white and a small amount of starch, and mix in clear oil. However, the order of adding materials and operational details in the sizing step still need to be carefully grasped.

Ingredients:

Fish fillet (a whole black fish of just over a pound, filleted), a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of cooking wine (5ml), half an egg white , one teaspoon (5ml) of thick wet starch.

1. Wash and drain the fish fillets and use a clean cloth to absorb the surface moisture (you don’t need to wash them if the operating environment is clean). Add a little salt to the fish fillets and pinch them with your hands until they become sticky.

2. Add a little cooking wine and pinch it with your hands until it is completely absorbed by the fish fillets.

3. Add the egg white little by little, pinching it with your hands every time you add it until the egg white is completely absorbed by the fish fillets.

4. Add very thick wet starch.

5. Keep grabbing and pinching until all the fish fillets are coated on the surface, sticky and without moisture, then let it sit.

6. Add some cooking oil and mix well before putting it into the pot.

Tips

1. When making fish fillets, you should pay attention to the fact that you cannot put all the ingredients together. You have to do it step by step. Follow the instructions: salt->cooking wine->egg white->thickness. Wet starch should be added in this order. The amount added each time should not be too much. It should be pinched with your hands until it is completely absorbed by the fish fillets and then put down again.

2. Don’t use too much egg white. Generally, half an egg white is enough for a whole black fish fillet weighing more than a kilogram. Adding too much egg white will affect the surface of the fish fillet when frying. It will feel unclean.

3. Before putting the battered fish fillets into the pot, remember to add a small spoonful of cooking oil and mix well, so that the fish fillets will not stick to the pot easily and the fish fillets will not stick together after being put into the pot.

Snakehead fish fillets with pickled vegetables and winter bamboo shoots

Ingredients:

Buttered snakeheaded fish fillets, winter bamboo shoots, fresh pickled cabbage (Potherb mustard), and red pepper.

Seasoning:

Salt, chicken essence.

Method:

1. Prepare the fish fillets in advance and set aside. Peel the winter bamboo shoots, wash the red pepper and cut into small pieces.

2. Boil the water in the pot, add the winter bamboo shoots, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Remove and let cool, slice into pieces and set aside.

4. Heat the pot, pour in cooking oil, heat the pot with oil, pour in the black fish fillets and smooth them out. When most of the surface of the fish fillet turns white, remove immediately and set aside (about twenty to thirty seconds).

5. Use the remaining oil in the pot to stir-fry the pickles for about one minute.

6. Pour in the winter bamboo shoot slices and stir fry thoroughly for about two minutes.

7. Pour in the black fish fillets and stir-fry for a few times.

8. Pour in the red pepper slices, add a little salt and chicken essence, stir-fry quickly and serve.

Tips:

1. When sliding fish fillets, the oil temperature should not be high. Heat the oil in a hot pan, put the fish fillets in, and spread them with chopsticks. When you see most of the fish fillets in the pot turn from transparent to white, take them out immediately. Don't wait until everything turns white before taking it out, otherwise the fish fillets will be too old if you mix them with other ingredients in the pan and stir-fry them later.

2. Blanch winter bamboo shoots and eat them to remove oxalic acid and promote calcium absorption. It can also shorten the time for frying later.