• 350 g (12 oz) whiting fillets, with skin
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 4 spring onions (scallions), cut into julienne
• 5 long red chillies, deseeded and cut into julienne
• 70 g (2½ oz) pickled ginger, finely sliced
• 100 g (3½ oz) pickled cucumber in syrup, drained and finely sliced
• plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
• 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 90 g (3¼ oz/1½ cups) Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Sauce

• 350 ml (12 fl oz) fresh chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) rice vinegar
• 100 g (3½ oz) sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

To make the sauce, mix together the chicken stock, tomato sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sea salt and soy sauce in a bowl.

Heat a wok until just smoking. Add the peanut oil and, when hot, stir-fry the spring onions and chillies until fragrant. Add the ginger, cucumber and the sauce, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Meanwhile, crumb the whiting fillets by first dusting them with flour, then dipping them in the egg wash, and finally pressing them in the breadcrumbs.

Remove the sauce from the wok and keep warm. Wash and dry the wok and heat the oil until almost smoking (180°C/350°F). Deep-fry the fish in batches until golden brown, then drain on paper towel. Put the fish on a serving plate and pour over the warm sauce to serve.