1 whole fish (red snapper, tilapia or bass) about 1 1/2 lb, gutted and scaled.
For the Fish:
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 Tbsp salt, or to taste
1 Tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
8 Tbsp dry cornstarch
For the Sauce:
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp sugar
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in Tbsp water
Directions:
Wash and dry the fish. Make 3 to 5 diagonal slashes on each side.
Mix together the first five "For the Fish" ingredients: ginger, rice wine, the salt, the pepper, and the sesame oil, and rub on the sides of the fish. Dip the fish, head, and tail into the dissolved cornstarch and dust with the dry cornstarch.
Cover the bottom of a large non-stick skillet or wok with olive oil and heat to very hot about 350F(175C) or until a piece of scallion green or ginger sizzles and moves around quickly when tossed in the oil. Fry until both sides are brown. Remove, drain and place on a serving dish. The fish can be placed in the oven to keep it warm while the sauce is being prepared.
Mix the first four ingredients of "For the Sauce". Pour 2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil into a wok and heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the scallions and stir-fry for a minute or so. Stir in the mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, ginger & crushed red pepper. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Cover the fish with the sauce and serve.
Notes:
This recipe is an amalgamation of two different ones I found someplace on the internet. It is a recipe in progress. I have made it several times now, first with 3 small tilapia ca. 1+ lbs each, a couple of times with red snapper (twice with a 1 1/2 pount fish and next with three fish slightly less than a pound each), and once with rainbow trout (three smaller ones). Most recently with a Mediterranean sea bass. The head can be left on or removed as you wish.
I think it helps to let the fish sit for a while after being rubbed with the "For the fish" ingredients. When ready to fry, I take enough cornstarch to cover both sides thickly. It is not necessary to deep dry the fish. The 1 1/2 lb fish will take at least 30 minutes to cook thoroughly. With rice, a 1 1/2 lb fish can feed three people. You might need a couple of potstickers per person if the three are really hungry. I recommend pork or vegetable Gyoza potstickers.