Chinese Fish Fry with Peanuts

A classic Taiwan savoury appetiser. This dish is served daily by tens of thousands of small noodle and dumpling shops across Taiwan. As a salty/spicy snack, it also goes well with an ice-cold beer or two.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

80 g (3 oz) dried fish fry (4–6 cm length)
100 g (3.5 oz) cooked peanuts (with or without skins)
2 cups vegetable oil
2–3 large green or red chillies, sliced diagonally
3 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
3 stalks spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon rice wine
Pinch pepper

Method

Heat oil in a saucepan to 120 degrees C. (248 F.) and deep fry fish for about 1 minute. Remove and drain. Heat wok, add about 2 tablespoons of the oil. One by one add chilli peppers, spring onions, garlic, and rice wine, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add fish and peanuts, stir fry for 4 or 5 minutes.

Notes: For a spicier version, add 1 teaspoon of chilli oil or chilli sauce. Some restaurants have a sweet version. Just add a teaspoon of sugar. In Taiwan fish fry are usually Silver-stripe round herring (Spratelloides gracilis).

Complementary Wines: Beer, Gin, Retsina, Riesling: Late Harvest, Sparkling Shiraz

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