Cantonese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallion
A whole fish steamed to silky, flaky perfection, then showered with a cascade of ginger and scallion slivers and hit with a sizzle of smoking hot oil. This elegant Cantonese preparation is the ultimate expression of "less is more" — pure, clean flavors that let the freshness of the fish shine through.
Ingredients
- 1 whole sea bass or sea bream (about 600-700g), cleaned and scaled
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger (half sliced, half julienned)
- 4 green onions (2 cut into 3-inch lengths, 2 finely shredded)
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce (steamed fish soy sauce preferred)
+ 6 more ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the fish inside and out, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Make two or three diagonal slashes on each side, cutting about halfway to the bone. This allows the steam to penetrate evenly and the fish to cook faster.
Rub the Shaoxing wine and a pinch of white pepper all over the fish, inside and out. Stuff the cavity with the ginger slices and the green onion lengths. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer.
Fill a wok or large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring to a vigorous boil. Set the plate of fish on a steamer rack, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over high heat for 8-10 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest part is opaque and flakes easily when prodded with chopsticks.
While the fish steams, combine the light soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Prepare the julienned ginger, shredded green onions, cilantro, and sliced chili.
Carefully remove the fish from the steamer. Drain off any liquid that has accumulated on the plate — this liquid is fishy and will dilute the sauce. Transfer the fish to a clean serving plate.
Remove and discard the ginger and green onion from the cavity. Scatter the fresh julienned ginger, shredded green onions, cilantro, and chili over the fish.
Pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the fish. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan until it is smoking hot and just beginning to shimmer. Pour the hot oil directly over the ginger and scallion garnish — it should sizzle loudly and release an incredible aroma. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI