Jamaican Cookery

Sweet and sour fish is not an authentic Jamaican dish. The Chinese who arrived in Jamaica in 1854 introduced their "sweet and sour" dish to the island.  It has been infused in the Jamaican cuisine making it fusion. This is my Jamaican inspired Chinese version of sweet and sour fish.

Ingredients
2 lbs. fish (use any fish; even fish fillets, however, Rock cod, and sea bass are ideal), scraped/gutted/washed with vinegar/drain/pat dry.

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp.. black pepper
1/4 cup oil or less to fry fish
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
To Make Sauce
1 cup water
2 carrots/peeled/cut lengthwise
4 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 stalk scallion, chopped
few slices onion--4 or 5
2 slices hot pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

The vinegar will offset the sugar, therefore, use an equal amount of sugar and vinegar so that the sauce will taste corpasetic (OK)

Method
Step1
Pat dry fish with paper towel. Cut 2 slashes on both sides of the fish, then rub with black pepper and salt. Cover and set aside.

Step2
Combine flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Put a skillet or Dutch pot with oil to hot over low heat. Coat fish with cornstarch and flour mixture. Fry fish in hot oil over low heat, fry each side for 3 minutes or so. Put the fried fishes into a container, cover and set aside.

Make The Sauce
Step1
In a Dutch pot or saucepan, add the water, carrots, scallion, hot pepper, vinegar, sugar, salt and onion.Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and cook the seasoning. After 2 minutes,add the ketchup and more salt if needed, continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced.

Add the fried fishes and spoon over the gravy on them. Cover pot and simmer for a minutes. Remove from heat and serve. Best served with cooked white rice, stir-fried vegetable and a glass of ice-cold coconut water.