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Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fried Fish with Snow Peas

Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fried Fish with Snow Peas

By Rose Hattabaugh & Hector TabordaOctober 27, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

This dish pops with vibrant color and spicy, garlicky notes thanks to a powerhouse pantry ingredient: chili-garlic sauce. We whisk it into the cornstarch slurry and briefly marinate the fish so it soaks up all the big flavors. Near the end of cooking, we stir in more chili-garlic sauce plus a touch of honey to balance the heat; the cornstarch adds body to the sauce and allows it to cling to the fish. Choose a thick white fish that will hold up well when cooked with crisp snow peas. Fresh or frozen mahi mahi, cod or snapper are all good options. Serve on a bed of sliced cabbage, watercress or steamed rice.

Ingredients
  • 4½

    tablespoons chili-garlic sauce OR Sriracha, divided

  • 1½

    tablespoons cornstarch

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1½

    pounds skinless mahi mahi OR cod OR snapper fillets (1 to 1½ inches thick), patted dry and cut into 2-inch chunks

  • 1½

    tablespoons honey

  • 2

    tablespoons neutral oil, divided

  • 1

    bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts reserved separately

  • 8

    ounces snow peas, trimmed

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1½ tablespoons chili-garlic sauce, the cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Add the fish and toss to coat; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce, the honey and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Step 2

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking, swirling to coat. Add the fish mixture in a single layer along with any marinade in the bowl; cook until the fish is well browned on the bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, flip the fish and cook until browned on the second sides and almost cooked through at the center, another 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Step 3

To the skillet over medium-high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and scallion whites. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the scallions begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the snow peas. Add the fish and any accumulated juices, then pour in the chili garlic-honey mixture. Cook, flipping the fish occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, the fish flakes easily and the peas are tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens.

Step 4

Optional garnish: Pickled jalapeños OR lime wedges OR both