Fish & Marinade

Ingredient Amount Notes
Fish fillets 2 White fish: cod, tilapia, or haddock
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp Optional
Rice wine or dry sherry 1 tbsp Optional
Salt ½ tsp
White or black pepper ¼ tsp
Cornstarch or flour 2 tbsp For coating
Cooking oil 3–4 tbsp For frying

Aromatics & Sauce

Ingredient Amount Notes
Garlic cloves 2–3 Sliced
Fresh ginger 1–2 tbsp Cut into thin strips
Spring onions (scallions) 3–4 Cut into 3–4 cm pieces
Water or light stock 2 tbsp
Oyster sauce 1 tsp Optional
Sugar ½ tsp Optional, to balance flavors

Cooking Principles

  • Marinate first: Letting the fish sit in soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine for 10–15 minutes infuses flavor before cooking.
  • Cornstarch coating: Dusting the marinated fillets with cornstarch (or flour) creates a light, crisp skin when pan-fried.
  • Same-pan sauce: Building the ginger and spring onion sauce in the same pan after frying picks up the fond and keeps the flavors unified.
Seafood
Pan-Fried
Chinese
15 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time

Cooking Steps

  1. Marinate the fish: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, salt, and pepper. Add the fish fillets and gently coat. Let marinate for 10–15 minutes.
  2. Prepare aromatics: Slice the garlic, cut ginger into thin strips, and chop spring onions into 3–4 cm pieces. Separate the white and green parts.
  3. Coat the fish: Lightly pat the fish dry with paper towels. Dust both sides with cornstarch or flour to create a thin coating.
  4. Pan-fry the fish: Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets and fry 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate.
  5. Stir-fry aromatics: In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add a little more oil if needed. Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds. Add the white parts of the spring onion and stir-fry for another minute.
  6. Make a light sauce: Add water or stock, oyster sauce, and sugar (if using). Stir and let simmer for 1–2 minutes to slightly thicken and blend flavors.
  7. Combine fish and sauce: Return the fried fish to the pan. Spoon the ginger and spring onion mixture over the fillets. Add the green parts of the spring onion and cook for another 1–2 minutes until they soften slightly.
  8. Serve: Transfer the fish to a serving plate, top with the ginger and spring onion sauce, and serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.

Tips & Notes

  • For extra crispiness, use a bit more cornstarch and fry the fish in slightly hotter oil, but avoid burning the coating.
  • Adjust soy sauce and oyster sauce to taste if you prefer a saltier or richer flavor.