Fish with Hot Sauce

Ingredients:

1 whole fish, (yellow croaker, carp, mullet or bass) about 2 1/2 lb (1,000g), cleaned and scaled
1 tsp. green pepper, shredded
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
3 1/2 oz (100g) onions, shredded
1 cup(500ml) oil for deep-frying
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. scallions, shredded
1/4 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp. rice wine
2 hot red chili (chilli) peppers, seeded and shredded
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch (corn flour) dissolved in 1 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash the dry the fish. Make 3 to 5 diagonal slashes on each side and rub the skin and slashes with the salt.

2. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat to very hot about 350oF(175oC) or until a piece of scallion green or ginger sizzles and moves around quickly when tossed in the oil add the scallions and onions and ginger and fish and deep-fry until both sides are brown. Remove , drain and place on serving dish.

3. Pour all but 2 to3 tbsp of the oil out of the wok, leaving only enough to cover the bottom . Heat until the oil surface ripples. Add the hot red chili, green pepper, and onion shreds, and stir-fry until fragrant. Stir in the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, MSG (optional), and ginger. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch-water mixture and add to the wok. Cook, stirring until the sauce thickens. Remove , pour over the fish, and serve.