FISH: This is one of my family's favourite dishes. Since the grouper has no small bones, I didn't have to worry about serving it to children.

BRAISED GROUPER 紅燒班腩:




2 lbs. grouper; cut into large pieces

2 dried mushrooms

2 thin slices ginger

2 oz. pork, cut into matchsticks

4 green onions, white parts, cut into juliennes

1 clove garlic

1 ½ cups water

tapioca starch for dredging

cooking oil for deep-frying

seasoning for fish:

1 tsp. light soy sauce
dash white pepper
½ tsp. each salt, sugar and dark soy sauce

sauce ingredients:

1 tsp. each sugar & rice wine
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tbsp. tapioca starch



Soak mushrooms in hot water to soften; then cut caps into thin strips.

Rinse and pat dry fish. Add seasoning ingredients and marinate 20 minutes.

In wok or non-stick saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot. Dredge fish pieces in tapioca starch; then add into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 1 tbsp. cooking oil from pan and heat it until hot. Add garlic, ginger, mushrooms and pork strips. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until pork is no longer pink. Add water and let it come to the boil. Stir sauce ingredients together with a little cold water to dissolve the starch; then add into pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Return fish to pan and cook together for another minute to heat through.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onions.