How a Pro Chef Makes Traditional Chinese Steamed Fish for Lunar New Year

sea bass

🥗Healthier: snapper

💰Cheaper: tilapia

Snapper offers a similar texture with lower calories, while tilapia is more budget-friendly.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces sodium intake, while tamari is often less expensive.

Go to Fusk Market to buy ingredients for steamed fish.

Select a whole marorn fish, about 1.5 kg for 2-4 people.

Wash the fish thoroughly, holding the head to prevent slipping.

Make a cut along the belly of the fish to remove the insides, ensuring the fish sits nicely for steaming.

Rub the fish downwards to clean it, avoiding upward strokes to prevent spines from sticking out.

Slice ginger into large pieces for steaming, as smaller pieces are not suitable for this dish.

Julienne the ginger for better flavor distribution in the fish.

Prepare the steaming setup by placing a steaming basket in a wok with hot water.

Place the fish in the steaming basket and drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over it.

Cover the wok and steam the fish until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque.

While the fish is steaming, prepare the sauce using the roots of the cilantro and some rock sugar.

Slice the cilantro roots and mix them with the other sauce ingredients.

Prepare fragrant oil by heating oil with garlic and pouring it over the garnished fish after steaming.

Once the fish is done, carefully remove it from the steamer and garnish with the cilantro and the fragrant oil.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary

Allergens