My friend Kathleen asked me if I am going to make ‘that’ fish for Chinese New Year. I remember making it for her when she visited us many many years back. I’m glad she still remembers the dish. Yes, I make it every single year. 年年有馀! Translate: A surplus every year! How can I miss that?! Ashley gets to have the fish since she was home last weekend. Hanna and Hillary gets to ‘enjoy’ it virtually when they read this post. Kathleen, come visit again, I’ll cook it for you anytime of the year 🙂

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 small black bass (~ 1.5 lbs, clean and fried at the supermarket)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 8 dried shitake mushroom, soaked and thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp ketchup
• 6 Tbsp white rice vinegar
• 6 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 stalk green onions, thinly sliced and soak in cold water
• 2 stalks cilantro, soaked in cold water with green onions

Directions

1. Buy the fried fish just before you are ready to cook. If fish is already cold, heat in 250 degree F oven until warm.
2. Slice the onion, peppers, and soaked mushrooms, set aside.
3. Prepare the sauce mixture: mix sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl, set aside.
4. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat.
5. Add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms. Stir for a minute until it is fragrant, and both garlic and mushroom starts to brown.
6. Turn up heat and add sliced onion and bell peppers. Stir fry for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are softened.
7. Stir the sauce mixture as cornstarch might have settled in the bottom of the bowl. Add sauce mixture to the vegetables. Stir and bring to a quick boil. Sauce will thicken.
8. Pour over warmed fried fish.
9. Garnish with sliced green onions and cilantro.
10. Enjoy the abundance. When we have this dish on New Year’s eve, make sure you have some left over to be carried into the New Year. 年年有馀, so that there is always surplus every year!