SWEET 'n' SOUR FISH

I am an avid connoisseur of Asian cuisine . I not only like to eat it but also like to try and make it at home. One of my colleagues and close friend is a Filipino. Her sister is also a foodie and is into cooking healthy too. This recipe I learnt from my dear friend Jean & her sister Betty. It was an instant hit in my household. It's quick and easy to make.

Servings: 4

Ingredients :

Fish  fillets:  4 palm sized. ( I used Salmon. Tilapia or any bland dish can be used)

For marination:

Lemon juice: 1/2 lemon
Pepper: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp

For the sauce:

Garlic: 1 tbsp chopped fine
Onion:1 medium sized ,  diced
Ginger:  2 inches, chopped julienne.
Bell pepper ( red and green): 1 cup diced into 1 inch squares.
Carrot: 1 medium , cut into strips
Cooking oil: 1tbsp for the sauce + 2 tbsp to fry fish
Water: 2 cups +1/2 cup
Tomato paste:3 tbsp
Brown sugar: ½ cup
Vinegar: ½ cup
1 tablespoon  cornstarch

Method:

The fish:

Clean the fish and marinate it with lemon juice salt & pepper.Keep it in the fridge for atleast 20mins.

Heat 1-2 tbps oil in a skillet/ frying pan and pan fry the fish till it flakes approximately 4-5 mins on each side. When done, keep it aside in a serving dish.

 The Sauce:

In a clean pan/ wok,  heat 1 tbsp oil. 

Then on high heat,sauté garlic, onion, carrots, ginger, and bell pepper ( red and green) a minute each. 

Add 2 cups of water and simmer for 5 mins.

Put in tomato paste, sugar, and vinegar then mix  thoroughly. 

Dilute cornstarch in ½ cup water and add it in. This will thicken the sauce.

Putting it together:

Pour the sauce on top of the fish

Serve hot with Jasmine rice.

Cooking made easy:

I did not have bell peppers with me, hence I have not used it in this dish. While cooking, try to make use of what is available in your fridge/pantry. Sometimes, some ingredients( if unimportant) can be substituted/ skipped if unavailable at the time you are cooking.This is not true all the time.

 This dish can be made with chicken too. Use boneless chicken breast. Cut it into bite size pieces and fry it.

Tip for healthy living:

Salmon is a very rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is also considered a super-food. Try and  eat wild salmon. Eating 2-3 servings per week of omega-3 fatty acid rich fish like salmon may help keep our heart healthy.

Food for thought:

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.(Og Mandino).