Chinese Steamed Fish

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Chinese Steamed Fish is a classic dish that showcases the simplicity and elegance of Chinese cuisine. The fish is gently steamed to perfection, preserving its natural flavors and texture. It’s then topped with a fragrant sauce made from soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and other aromatic ingredients. A perfect balance of freshness and richness, this dish is a must-try for seafood lovers.

Light and flavorful. Healthy and low-fat. Easy to prepare. Popular fish choices are Seabass, Red Snapper, Snapper,  Pomfret, Grouper, Flounder, and Freshwater Tilapia. Any white flesh Fresh fish. Oftentimes, the whole fish is steamed but you can do the same with fish fillets, just reduce the steaming time according to size.

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♦Prep time:10MIN ♦Cook time:14MIN ♦Yield:4 Servings.

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

Method:

1. Thoroughly clean, gut, and scale the fish, Rinse well and pat dry with kitchen paper. We leave the head intact here.
2. Season the fish thoroughly with salt and pepper, as well as minced ginger, inside and out.
3. Take half the quantities of ginger coins, chopped spring onion, and whole coriander and use this to ‘stuff’ the fish. The remaining half will be used as a bed to lay the fish on while steaming.
4. Pour the Chinese cooking wine over the fish.
5. Heat about 2 inches of water in a large wok (preferred) and place a steaming rack above the water. As the water comes to a boil, place parchment paper over the rack and scatter the reserved spring onion, coriander, and ginger coins on this. Place the fish over this prepared ‘bed’ and pour over any remaining marinade.
6. Once the water below is boiling, cover the wok tightly and reduce heat to medium. Steam for about 12 minutes.
7. Toward the end of cooking time, add all the ingredients for the ‘sauce’ to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and set aside. Also, chop the spring onions and julienne the ginger for the final tempering.
8. Check that the fish is tender. Gently, carefully lift the fish and place on the serving platter. Remove all the stuffing ingredients and discard them.
9. Pour over the prepared aromatic sauce.
10. Also, heat the oil for tempering in a small pan till very hot. Add the julienned ginger and chopped spring onion. Fry for just 10 seconds till nicely fragrant.  Immediately pour over the plated fish.
11. Enjoy with rice and other side dishes.

Chinese Steamed Fish

Notes:

• Sea bass is my go-to for steaming recipes. It has a mild flavor, and a firm and flaky texture once steamed, and it is one of the freshest Fish,  usually available in Singapore. I also like using white snapper. I get the fish cleaned, so the job is made easier. Usually, the fish is kept whole, but if that irks you, you can have it removed.
• You may also use this recipe with fish fillets, just make sure your steaming time corresponds to the weight of the fish.
• 12 minutes is recommended for 750-800 gm fish. Add 2 minutes of steaming time for every 100 gms. Make sure you weigh the fish to prevent overcooking.
• Using a wok and curved lid helps the condensation to drip along the sides, and back to the bottom of the wok. If your pot is flat and the lid is flat the condensation builds up beneath the lid and this drips all over the fish, thus diluting the flavor. To prevent this, wipe down the lid a couple of times as it builds up (Especially just before you start steaming if you left the lid on while the water came to a boil).
• Tempering is a cooking technique where spices or other ingredients such as dried chillies, minced ginger, shallots, garlic, or sugar are cooked briefly in oil or to liberate essential oils and thus enhance their flavors, before being poured, together with the oil, into a dish.

Key Ingredients: Fish, Ginger, Spring Onion, Chillies, Coriander, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Shaoxing, Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Oil.

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Chinese Steamed Fish

Author: Shana Shameer