Flash-frying, or frying very quickly at a high heat, is a method of frying that keeps the juices inside your meat and prevents your food from soaking up too much cooking oil. The technique is Chinese in its origins, but it is now used in a variety of styles of cooking. Flash frying is a great cooking option for fish, which can easily dry out when cooked using slower methods.

Clean and prepare your fish. Whole fish cannot be flash-fried, so you may need to cut your fish into fillets.

Batter the fish fillets in egg white or dredge in flour. The traditional Chinese method of flash-frying calls for dredging or battering before cooking the fish to keep the juices inside of meat. Depending on your recipe, this step can be optional.

Place a heavy skillet on the stove top. Add oil or butter and turn on high heat. Once the pan has heated up, put the fish flilet on the pan.

Prepare any sauces or side dishes you may want to serve with the fish.

Cook for two to three minutes on one side, until the fillet starts to brown, and then flip. You can add some vegetables to be flash-fried after flipping the fish or continue to cook it alone. Flash-frying is meant to be a simple cooking method to highlight a food’s natural flavors, so you may prefer to cook the fish fillet without the addition of other foods.

Serve on a plate, alone or with sides. If you have made a sauce to serve over the fish, spoon it over the fillet right after removing it from the pan.