Chinese Steamed Fish

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces sodium intake while maintaining flavor.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Olive oil offers healthier fats, while vegetable oil is often cheaper.

Thoroughly clean, scale, gut, and pat dry the whole sea bass with kitchen paper towel.

Chop 3-4 spring onions into 3-inch lengths and slice 3 inches of fresh ginger into coins after peeling.

Rinse a small bunch of fresh coriander, leaving it unchopped and keeping the roots for added flavor.

Season the fish inside and out with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper powder.

Rub the seasoning thoroughly onto the fish.

Stuff the fish with half of the chopped spring onion, ginger, and coriander leaves, reserving the rest for the bed.

Pour Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing) over the fish.

Use a large wok or pot with a steaming rack, adding about 2 inches of water below the rack and bringing it to a boil.

Place parchment paper over the rack and add the reserved spring onion, ginger, and coriander as a bed for the fish.

Gently lay the stuffed fish over the bed and pour any remaining marinade over it.

Cover the wok and steam on medium heat for 12 minutes, checking that the fish is tender and not overcooked.

Prepare the flavored sauce by chopping 3 tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves and 1 long red chili, adding them to a microwave-safe bowl.

To the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper powder, then microwave for 30 seconds and set aside.

After 12 minutes, gently lift the fish onto a serving dish and remove all stuffing (coriander, ginger, and spring onion).

Pour the prepared aromatics over the fish.

In a separate pan, fry 2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion greens and 3 teaspoons of julienned ginger in 2 tablespoons of very hot oil for about 10 seconds until fragrant, then pour over the plated fish.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens