Nyonya Acar Fish
Nyonya Acar Fish recipe - This mouthwatering and super delicious fish, is a much celebrated Nyonya recipe. Everyone in my family loves this concoction of deep-fried fish pickled with a turmeric-vinegar base, spiced with garlic, ginger, and chilies.
- Prep time
- 1 hr 18 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 medium-sized turmeric (peeled and sliced into thin pieces)
- 600 g (1¼ lb) silver mullet or bone-in Red Snapper fish fillet (cut into 1-inch thick fillet)
- 600 g silver mullet or bone-in Red Snapper fish fillet (cut into 1-inch thick fillet)
- 1 big knob ginger (peeled and cut into matchstick strips)
- 2 small garlic bulb (peeled and sliced into thin pieces)
- 3 fresh red chilies (sliced into pieces diagonally)
- 10-12 bird's eye chilies
- 2 cups oil
- 480 ml oil
- 2 cups water
- 480 ml water
- 1 cup chinese rice vinegar (or to taste)
- 240 ml chinese rice vinegar (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
- 200 g sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame
Instructions
- 1
Dry the turmeric, ginger, and garlic under the sun for a few hours. Marinate the fish with some salt before deep-frying until golden and crispy. Transfer the fish to a deep pot, followed by the ginger, garlic, and chilies.
- 2
Heat a wok and stir-fry the turmeric until the oil becomes yellow. Discard the turmeric using a colander. Add water and vinegar to the wok and bring it to a boil. Season with sugar and salt according to the recipe or to taste.
- 3
Transfer the marinade into the pot, ensuring that the fish and ingredients are submerged. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, cover the pot, and let the fish pickle overnight. The fish is best served the next day.