Steamed fish can be boring; at least to me. I am always more interested in the broth itself or whatever is accompanying the steamed fish. It’s healthy food but you still want it to have good taste and flavour. I cook fish regularly but rarely is it steamed, however, after trying this Chinese-style steamed fish, you bet I will be steaming fish often. The dish is simple to prepare and full of flavour from the combo of scallions (green onions), ginger and soy sauce.
With fresh fish, you want to cook it simply, and you couldn’t get simpler than steaming. This method of cooking enables one to learn about fish textures; the moist hot air, trapped covered, enables the flesh of the fish to flake easily. Now imagine that soft tender flesh enhanced with herbs like scallions, celery, coriander/cilantro and lemongrass, and seasoned with a dressing of soy sauce. This is the kind of steamed fish you would want to serve as an entrée for a fancy meal. It is that good.
Several countries in South East Asia have similar versions of this dish using other ingredients such as sesame oil, rice wine, garlic, and lemongrass. The version that I am sharing with you today is Cantonese-style, the cuisine with which we are most familiar in Guyana. Here the fish is steamed separately, the aromatics and sauce heated until simmering and then poured over the hot steamed fish. With other versions, the sauce ingredients are poured over the fish first and then steamed. I’ve tried the dish both ways and prefer the Cantonese version because I find the flavour and texture of the aromatics much more enticing and distinct. When seasoned and then steamed, the flavour seems muted. It’s good but different. It all comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Ginger and scallion is one of the best flavour combinations that exist and the two really shine (as they always do) in this Cantonese-style steamed fish. The sauce is infused with the flavour of this combo, and to give a Caribbean nod, I added minced hot peppers. Fish needs hot pepper. In terms of the fish itself, any fish can be used, and it can be large fillet or whole bone-in. If the fish is really big, halve it to fit a rimmed platter that will sit comfortably in a pan with a steamer; this brings me to equipment.
I used a wok because I have one, but this dish can definitely be made using a karahi or any wide pot in which a large plate or platter holding the fish can be mounted or sit stacked over boiling water. If you do not have a large enough cover for your karahi in order to keep in the steam generated, use a large metal bowl; that’s what I did.
Serve this steamed fish with hot cooked white rice. It can also be served with soft buttery cassava, mashed eddoes, yams or even mashed breadfruit. You want something that will suck up that great tasting sauce with its peppery bite from the julienned ginger.
Ready to give it a try? Check out the recipe.
Cynthia
Chinese-style Steamed Fish
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
● Wok, large karahi or wide pot with
lid or metal bowl to cover
● Steam rack(s) upon which a large plate or platter can rest
INGREDIENTS
● 1 whole cleaned bone-in fish (about 1
● ½ – 2 pounds) or 1 x 2 lb fish fillet
● ¼ cup regular soy sauce
● ¼ cup water
● ¾ teaspoon sugar
● ¼ teaspoon salt
● 2 tablespoons vegetable or Canola oil
● 4 tablespoons julienned ginger (cut into thin match sticks), divided in half
● 3 large scallions, white/purple and green parts separated and cut into thin strips
● Finely minced hot pepper, to taste
● A handful of cilantro/coriander sprigs, as an alternative use tender celery leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse fish and pat dry, plate on a heatproof plate/platter and set aside.
2. Set up pan/pot for steaming and add inches of water and bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, place plate or platter with fish on top of mounted rack, cover and steam for 10 minutes if using a bone-in 2-pound fish, however, if using fillets, steam for 7 – 8 minutes.
3. While the fish steams, mix together the soy sauce, water, sugar and salt and set aside.
4. Remove steamed fish from pan/pot and drain off liquid and set aside. Scatter half of sliced ginger over the fish along with green part of scallions as well as cilantro or celery leaves and set aside.
5. Heat oil in a small frying pan then add half of the ginger and cook until it starts to sizzle then add the soy sauce mixture, stir and cook until the mixture starts to simmer, let cook for 1- 2 minutes then add white/purple part of scallions and hot pepper. Cook for 1 minute then remove from heat and spoon over fish dousing it with the sauce. Serve hot.
NOTES
● If using a whole fish, it is optional to stuff with crushed lemongrass or ginger with the white-onion part of scallions.
● You can opt to make 2 or 3 cuts along the thick parts of the fish.
● There is no need to season the fish as the sauce will have in enough salt and be flavourful enough for the fish.
● The ¼ teaspoon salt can be eliminated is you are looking at your sodium levels, however, you might find it needed to eat with the rice and other starches.
● Feel free to play around with other ingredients for the sauce like sesame oil and thinly sliced garlic.
