Ripsaw

This is a take on the popular fried flounder dish found at most authentic Chinese restaurants. You know, the ones with the ducks and roast pork and intestines hanging in the front window.

For the fish:
1 1 1/4lb flounder, sliced across the spine into 1 inch chunks
corn starch
assorted spices to your taste

For the sauce:
1 large scallion, julienne, rondelles, diagonals, or 1/4 inch slices, your preference (I learned knife words!)
5 cloves garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
2 parts ponzu
1 part soy sauce

For the beans:
3 cloves garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
1/2 bunch Chinese long beans
3 tbsp oyster sauce
salt
corn oil

Serves: 2-4, depending on appetite, and how many beans you cook.
Total time: 30 min or less

Getting started:
Wash all of your veg and clean all of your work surfaces. Get out as many containers as you need to hold your ingredients for your mise en place. Start your rice, it will take the longest, whether in a rice cooker, or in a pot. Smash, peel and slice everything that needs to be sliced, fish last.

Chop the beans into two inch lengths, discarding the ends. Heak up your wok to smoking. Add a small amount of oil, and immediately add the garlic. It will begin to brown quickly. Toss in your washed beans, season with salt, and stir fry until tender-crisp over high heat. Add oyster sauce to finish, move to a serving bowl, and wash out the wok.

Heat the wok again to smoking. The water will evaporate quickly. Add oil again to stir fry the garlic and scallion for the sauce. Cook over high heat until wilted. Move to a sauce bowl and add ponzu and soy. Mix together and let the flavors blend.

Add two to three inches of oil to the bottom of the wok and set over high heat. Dry the fish slices. In a shallow bowl, add the cornstarch and season, because I don't know where you come from, where I come from, cornstarch doesn't come seasoned (Damn you foodTV. I just got cable again). Dredge the fish in the cornstarch mixture, shaking off excess. Test the oil. If its not hot enough, oil will enter the fish, resulting in yucky oily fried food. If its just right, you will create a seal around the fish, resulting in yummy, crispy fish. Touch a wooden chopstick to the bottom of the wok through the oil. If bubbles come up, you are right on target. Fry the fish pieces, one at a time, and season with coarse salt as soon as they come out.

tip: If you're like me, and don't realize that flounders don't come pre-scaled, use a spoon under running water. It doesn't take long at all, and its kinda fun. Also, if you can't find ponzu, lemon juice or your favorite vinegar will do fine. Do what you like.

Plate by pooling the sauce and placing one to two pieces of fish per plate. Drizzle more sauce over the top, with beans on the side.
Serve with heaping bowls of white rice.

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