Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish
松鼠桂鱼(sōngshǔ guì yú)

Style of cooking: Jiangsu cuisine
菜系：苏菜

Flavor: salty and fresh
口味：咸鲜

Characteristics: the surface is crisp and the inside is tender and soft; the sauce is sour and sweet, agreeable to the taste; has fresh and delicious flavor.
特色：外松脆，内软嫩，卤汁酸甜适口，滋味鲜美。

Ingredients:
原料：
Mandarin fish, dry starch, ketchup, fresh soup, sugar, vinegar, wine, salt, minced garlic clove, diced bamboo shoot, mushroom, peas, lard, peeled prawns and sesame oil.
桂鱼，干淀粉，番茄酱，鲜汤，糖，香醋，酒，盐，蒜瓣末，笋丁，香菇，豌豆，猪油，虾仁，麻油。

Way of cooking:
制作方法：
1. Scale the mandarin fish and remove its gills; gut the fish and clean it; with the fish’s skin facing downward, cut the flesh of the fish in straight cuts and, then make diagonal cuts. The cuts should be deep enough to make a rhombus pattern on the fish skin.
1. 将桂鱼去鳞及鳃，剖腹去内脏洗净，鱼皮朝下在鱼肉上先直剞，再斜剞，深至鱼皮成菱形刀纹。

2. Stir the Shaoxing wine with the refined salt well and then spread the mixture on the fish head and the flesh of the fish; then wrap them in the dry starch; hold the fishtail to shake off the excess starch.
2. 用绍酒，精盐调匀，抹在鱼头和鱼肉上，再滚上干淀粉，用手拎鱼尾抖去余粉。

3. Put the ketchup in the bowl and add fresh soup, sugar, vinegar, wine, salt, wet starch and stir well to make the sauce.
3. 将番茄放入碗内加鲜汤、糖、香醋、酒、盐、湿淀粉拌成调味汁。

4. Heat a wok with a strong flame，then add the lard, heat it until it is 80% heated before rolling the two fish pieces, letting the fishtail lift from the heat and then put the fish in a pan to fry it until it is shaped.
4. 炒锅用大火烧热下猪油，烧至八成热时，先将两片鱼肉翻卷，翅起鱼尾，放入油锅稍炸使其成形。

5. Put the fish into the pan and fry them until they tune golden yellow then remove and arrange it on the plate; place the fish head to its place and form the shape of a squirrel.
5. 再将鱼全部放入油锅炸，至金黄色捞起，放入盘中，装上鱼头拼成松鼠形。

6. Leave a little oil in the pan and fry the sliced green onion; fish out the green onion and add the minced garlic clove, diced bamboo shoots, mushrooms and peas, and fry them till they are heated through.
6. 锅内留油少许，放葱段煸香捞出加蒜瓣末、笋丁、香菇丁、豌豆炒熟。

7. Put the sauce in the pan and cook it over a high heat until it is thick; add the lard and the peeled prawns, stirring them well before pouring the sesame oil over them; then spread the sauce over the fish.
7. 下调味汁用大火烧浓后，放猪油和虾仁拌和，淋上麻油，起锅浇在鱼身上即成。