← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 700 g whole sea bass, bream or snapper, scaled and gutted (about 1, or 2 small)
• 5 cm piece Ginger, half sliced, half cut into fine matchsticks
• 4 Spring onion, 2 cut into lengths, 2 finely shredded
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
• ½ tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), leaves picked (optional)
• 1 Red chilli, finely shredded (optional)

Method

1. Pat the fish dry inside and out, cut 2–3 slashes into the thickest part on each side and rub lightly with the salt. Lay the ginger slices and spring onion lengths on a heatproof plate and put the fish on top, so steam can circulate underneath. Splash with the Shaoxing wine.
2. Set up a steamer or a wok with a rack and bring the water to a rolling boil. Steam the fish, covered, over high heat for 8–10 min for a 700 g fish, until the flesh at the thickest point flakes and is opaque right to the bone.
3. Meanwhile, stir the soy sauce, hot water and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
4. Lift out the plate carefully, pour away the fishy steaming liquid and discard the cooked ginger and spring onion. Scatter the shredded ginger, shredded spring onion and chilli over the fish.
5. Heat the oil in a small pan until it is smoking hot, then pour it over the aromatics so they sizzle. Spoon the sauce around the fish, add the coriander and serve straight away.

Tips

• Thick fillets work too: steam skin-side down for 6–8 min, depending on thickness.
• Do not overcook. Peek at 8 min: if the flesh pulls easily from the bone, it is ready.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Eats Made With Lau