Sweet and Sour Lapu-lapu (Escabeche)

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo Lapu-lapu (big size)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large ringed onion
• 6 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup ginger, julienned
• 1/2 cup carrot, julienned
• 1 pc. green chilli pepper
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup celery stalks, julliened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
•  celery leaves for garnishing

  Directions:

1. Clean the fish and slit it open. Let it stand for few minutes and drain well.
2. Sprinkle fish with 1 tsp salt.
3. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and fry the fish until brown. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
4. In a separate skillet, sauté the garlic, onion, ginger, green chilli pepper, red bell pepper, celery and carrot.
5. In another saucepan mix oyster, vinegar, water and sugar together, add salt and pepper to taste.
6. When the mixture boils, add cornstarch to thicken.
7. Put fried fish on a nice plate and begin plating ingredients on top of fish. Pour sweet and sour sauce over.
8. Voila, enjoy!