Ingredients

1 pound grouper fillets or other firm white fish

1 egg white, beaten

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 dash ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Oil, for deep frying

2 scallions, chopped

Dry sherry or rice wine

Sauce

1 tablespoon fermented black beans

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced fine

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine.

Directions

Sauce: Using mortar and pestle, pound black beans with garlic. Put in bowl. Add sugar, ginger, sherry, and oil. Mix well. Add egg white, cornstarch, pepper, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.

In a steel wok, heat oil for deep-frying. When oil is very hot, quickly deep-fry fish. Remove fish with skimmer when it begins to firm up and change color.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from wok. Fry black bean paste for a few seconds on low heat to release aroma, stirring to avoid burning paste.

Turn up the heat. Add fish, turning very briskly with spatula, taking care not to break the fish. Sizzle the ingredients with wine. Turn fish again. When it begins to flake, the fish is done. Be careful not to overcook. If desired, add in 1/2 tablespoon hot oil to give fish a sheen and to keep wok hot.

Serve immediately, garnished with scallions.