Chinese Red Braised Fried Fish (Hongshaoyu), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Clean the 400 to 500g tilapia, drain or pat it dry and cut a few diagonal scores into each side.
2. Rub the fish with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine along with the sliced ginger and the bundled spring onion. Tuck all the ginger and spring onion into the cavity, then dust 2 tablespoons cornstarch over the fish, rub it even and shake off the excess.
3. Heat the oil until it is very hot and fry the fish to a deep golden brown on both sides. Lift the fish out, pour off most of the oil and leave a little in the pan.
4. Fry 1 tablespoon diced ginger, 4 to 5 cloves diced garlic, 4 to 5 chopped chilies and 2 to 3 stalks of chopped spring onion white for about 30 seconds, add 1 tablespoon doubanjiang and stir for another 30 seconds until fragrant, then pour in 250ml water.
5. Add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 level tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1/2 tablespoon Chinkiang black vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning powder, stir, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and slide the fish in. Spoon the sauce over the fish continuously with a large ladle without turning it, for about 4 to 5 minutes, then lift the fish onto a plate.
6. Add 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens. Take it off the heat, pour the sauce over the fish, scatter spring onion on top and serve with hot rice.

Tips

• Doubanjiang and Chinkiang black vinegar are sold at Chinese supermarkets and Chinese markets.
• Without doubanjiang, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, since that paste is already salty.
• Without black vinegar, leave it out, and the dish is still good with slightly less of the gentle sourness.
• Silver carp or sea bass work just as well.
• Get the pan properly hot before the fish goes in and hold off turning it, as the fish releases itself from the pan when it is ready.