Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish is a traditional dish with over 200 years of history of the Han ethnic group in Jiangsu Province. It is usually served as a steamed or braised dish at banquets.

It is said that during the Qing dynasty, the Qianlong Emperor dined once at the Songhelou Restaurant in Suzhou when touring in the southern regions of the Yangtze River. He was very satisfied with the Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish which then made the dish famous all around China.

Shallow diagonal cuts are made after filleting the fish. Then the filets are seasoned and coated with yolk paste and fried in hot oil. The fried fish will squeak when it is covered with scalding sweet and sour sauce. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a beautiful orange color.