Sweet-and-Sour Fish (Escabeche)

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds red snapper (sea bass, bluefish or carp may be substituted)
salt to taste
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
2 cups diced bean curd (sold in Oriental food stores)
6 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons ginger, sliced julienne-style
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup bell pepper cut in strips
1 tablespoon sifted flour


PROCEDURES:

Clean fish and slit open. Season with salt inside and out. Mix vinegar, water, sugar and salt for sweet-sour taste. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat oil and fry fish and bean curd. Remove both from pan and set aside. In the same skillet, saute garlic until light brown, then onion until transparent. Add ginger. Add the vinegar mixture. When the mixture boils, add fried fish, bean curd pieces, mushrooms and pepper, and flour to thicken. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot.