Black Pomfret Fish in Tomato Sauce

Hey ya! Howzit goin? Took a few days break due to the long weekend. It was Deepavali celebration here in Malaysia, an Indian festival marking the triumph of good over evil. Deepavali is often called the Festival of Lights and is an official public holiday here. Streets can be seen brightly lit up with multi colored lights. And the dancing and fireworks were a treat to the eyes.

Malaysia celebrates holidays for the Muslims, Indians and Chinese, yep, all 3 races live in harmony in this country. The uniqueness of culture is very rich and each race has their own heritage which can be seen during celebrations such as Deepavali.

Last week, my mother-in-law bought a Black Pomfret fish and gave us to cook it. The fish is very meaty and tasty but is best pan fried or cooked in curry. This fish is not suitable for steaming as it has a strong fishy smell, which is taken away during the frying process.

Hubby loves his fish fried as he relishes on those crispy bits like the tail and fins which he eats entirely. I usually coat it with turmeric powder and salt before frying to enhance the taste.

Ingredients
1 medium Black Pomfret fish
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Half teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
1 red onion
1 tomato, cut in fours
3 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon corn flour in half bowl of water

Marinade the fish with turmeric powder and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in wok. Slowly lower the fish into wok. Be careful to protect yourself, the oil will splatter!

Fry till the fish turns golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.

Heat oil in non-stick pan or wok. Fry garlic and onion till fragrant. Put in tomatoes and fry for 1 min. Pour in ketchup, oyster and corn flour mixture. Continue to stir fry until sauce boils and thickens. Scoop up into bowl.

Here's a hint! Only when you are ready to eat, then and ONLY THEN do you pour the tomato sauce onto the fish. This is the best way to ensure your fish is crispy when eaten. Bon Apetit!

Cooking time: 20 mins