Sweet and Sour Black Pompret

Mum likes to buy black pompret from her friend's fishing trawler. But I really don't know another nicer way to cook black pompret besides sweet and sour, and of course umai in my previous blog, or maybe the mango fish style. Black Pompret is somehow nicer if you deep fry and coat it with sauce, or dip in Maggi or Thai chilli sauce, with a little dark soya sauce.

The Fish:

600gm of black pompret, approximately, or can be bigger

2tbsp of cooking wine like huatiaw

1-2 teasp of salt

2-3 tbsp of cornflour

3-4 cups of frying oil

1) Clean pompret of its internal and make slits on the tummy on both sides. Strain and season with salt and huatiaw. Leave it to dry up on a strainer in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

2) Coat generously with cornflour. Heat up oil in a wok till hot enough for frying. Fry each side with medium fire till cook and crispy. Then turn fire to high to quick fry for 30 sec to 1 min on each side to seal the crispiness. Let it stand to strain off excess oil while preparing the sauce.

The Sauce:

4-5 tbsp of tomato sauce
1- 2 tbsp of chilli sauce (Maggi or Thai style or both)
1 tbsp of light soya
2 tbsp of white vineger or juice from one juicy lemon
1 cup of water + 1 tbsp of cornstarch
2 - 3 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp of chopped onion
2 no large tomatos, cut to wedges
2 no of chilli or 1/2 no green and red bell pepper, de-seeded and cut to strips

1) Mix all the liquid and sugar: sauces, water and sesame oil in a bowl.

2) With one tablespoon of oil, lightly fry onion till fragrant. Then add tomatos, chillis and continue stir frying.

3) Add the sauce mixture and bring to a light boil.

4) Pour mixture on top of fish and serve with rice.