Quick Stir-Fry with Garlic Sprouts and Milkfish Tenders

Salmon has been the most popular fish variety in my household. But I'm craving for something different that is still easy to prepare. So I was happy to see milkfish tenders at a local specialty grocery store. Especially milkfish comes with many tiny bones, so the boneless fish tenders are definitely a plus.

Quick stir-fry with garlic sprouts and milkfish tenders -

Ingredients?

• 0.7 lb/300 grams milkfish tenders
• 2 stalks/130 grams garlic sprouts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red chili
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Some corn starch

Sauce -

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice cooking wine
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

How?

Calling it a quick stir-fry, but actually more like seared fish tenders plus a quick mix with all the aromatics.

First dust the milkfish tenders with corn starch and shake off excess powder.

Chop garlic sprouts two ways, mostly slice them diagonally, save a small portion and chop them into rings to sprinkle on top of finished dish. 

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Destem and chop the chili. Grate the ginger and mix it together will the remaining sauce seasonings. Make sure the sugar has been fully dissolved before use.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and turn to medium high heat. Once heated up, add in fish tenders one by one. Do not move them around in the beginning, wait a little longer so the surface won't stick to the pan that much. After couple minutes, carefully flip the fish tenders and continue to sear till colored. 

Gently push the fish to one side of the pan and drizzle one more tablespoon of olive oil to the empty side. Add in garlic sprouts sections, garlic, and chili. Cook till aromatic but not burning the garlic, should be less than one minute.

Pour in pre-mixed sauce and combine with fish along with all the other ingredients in the pan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat a little, but still keep it at a slight bubble. Cook till the sauce has been reduced and almost fully dried.

Plate the milkfish tenders and garnish with chopped garlic sprouts.

Unlike salmon, milkfish comes with a distinct taste, almost like the scent you get from fresh water fish, and I'm not quite fond of it. So by cooking the fish with heavy aromatics and seasonings help covering that taste and further changed it into a stronger Asian flavored dish. 

Finally something different on the menu tonight.


Other fish recipes:

• Cod fillets with colorful tomato basil sauce
• No ketchup needed sweet and sour snapper
• Simplified version of steamed salmon with salted black beans (豆鼓蒸魚)
• Asian dried anchovies and five-spice bean curd stir-fry