Sweet and Sour Carp

Discover the authentic flavors of Chinese cuisine with this Sweet and Sour Carp recipe. Marinated and baked to perfection, this carp is served with a rich sauce and a medley of sautéed vegetables. Ideal for a special dinner, this dish brings the essence of traditional Chinese cooking to your table. Perfectly balanced with sweet, sour, and savory notes, it’s a meal that will impress your family and guests alike.

Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 8
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients for 8 Servings

• Carp weighing 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg)
• 4 tbsp white dry wine
• 3 eggs
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1.2 in (3 cm) piece of ginger root
• 1 red onion
• 2 stalks leeks (white part)
• 2 carrots
• 5.3 oz (150 g) oyster mushrooms
• 7 oz (200 g) frozen green peas
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 1.5 tsp salt
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Sauce:

• 1.5 cups water
• 0.5 cup wine vinegar
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp white dry wine
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Prepare the Carp:

1. Clean the carp, remove the scales, and gut it, leaving the head, tail, and fins intact. Use scissors to remove the gills.
2. Rinse the fish thoroughly and pat it dry. Make several deep diagonal cuts on each side of the fish.
3. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour the dry wine over the fish and rub it with salt. Beat the eggs with cornstarch in a bowl and coat the fish thoroughly with this mixture.

Stuff the Fish:

1. Peel the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cut the onion into quarters and the ginger in half. Stuff the fish with the onion, garlic, and ginger. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) and bake the fish for 1.5 hours.

Prepare the Vegetable Base:

1. Wash and cut the leeks into 2.4 in (6 cm) pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips. Wash and roughly chop the oyster mushrooms.
2. In a large pan, heat some vegetable oil and sauté the carrots and mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the peas, stir, and remove from heat. Keep the vegetables warm.

Make the Sauce:

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water with the vinegar, wine, and soy sauce. Add the ketchup and sugar, stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining water and gradually add it to the sauce. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes. Pour half of the sauce over the vegetables and mix well.

Serve the Dish:

1. Pour the remaining sauce over the cooked fish and serve it with the vegetables.

This is just one of the classic Chinese recipes for cooking carp. There are dozens of variations, each extraordinarily delicious.