Whole Fried Red Snapper with Chili Garlic Sauce
This is a WOW! A whole crispy fried snapper with the fillets, cut and fried and piled back onto the bones. Serve the fish with fried rice and fried eggs and accept all compliments with a smile.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 6Servings
Ingredients
Chili Garlic Sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup sriracha
- ¼ cup Asian style sweet chili sauce
- ¼ soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin, or sweet white wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
Snapper
- 3 pounds whole red snapper, fillets removed, but take bones with head and tail with you (have your fishmonger do this for you)
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rice flour
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups peanut oil or other high temperature oil
Preparation
Sauce
1. Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sesame oil, then lightly sauté ginger, garlic, and scallions for 1 minute. Add sriracha, chili sauce, soy, mirin and honey. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
SNAPPER
1. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels.
2. Slice snapper fillets into 1-inch pieces.
3. Whisk together whites and water and place in a mixing bowl. Whisk together flours, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
4. Pour oil in a deep sided sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Dredge fish pieces, a few at a time in egg white mixture and then in flour mixture. Once oil reaches 350°F, place fish in pan and fry for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Continue until all fish has been fried.
6. Fry the fish bones. This may take up to 5 to 7 minutes per side (trust me this is a show stopper).
7. Toss fish pieces with chili sauce and pile into one side of fish bones. Place fried fish bones on platter and pile on fried snapper pieces.