CHINESE STYLE STEAMED FISH

(清蒸鱼)

Hi Everyone!

In this video I am going to share with you a Chinese Style Steamed Fish (清蒸鱼) recipe.

Steaming the whole fish is the best way of enjoying the natural flavor of the fish. The added spring onions, ginger, red chili and coriander leaves compliment the dish with freshness and beauty. Chinese Style Steamed Fish is not only celebrated for its taste but also for the symbolism it carries in Chinese culture. It is often served during festive occasions and family gatherings, representing abundance, prosperity, and good fortune.

Recipe Notes:

I used Nannygai (from snapper species) fresh fish in this recipe. Other types of fish that is ideal for steaming are Cod, Threadfin, White/Golden Pomfret, Grouper, Barramundi, Emperor, Seabass, Tilapia, Halibut and Salmon.
The fish vent is the part where the fish discharges its eggs and its waste. This part sometimes gives an unpleasant taste to the fish and is best to be removed.
I used corn flour to rub the fish all over, including its stomach. I find that this helps to remove the fishy smell before cooking.
I used Shao Xing Chinese Cooking Wine in this recipe. You may use any other types of cooking wine that you prefer. The cooking wine is used to add flavor to the fish and helps to remove the fishy smell.
The ginger and spring onions arranged on the fish will infuse their fragrance into the fish during steaming and helps to remove the fishy smell.
Using a deep basin makes it a lot easier to steam a larger fish.
Placing the fish on a baking paper prior steaming allows you to drain the cloudy and fishy liquid produced during the steaming away much easier.
The steaming duration will vary depending on the size and thickness of the fish and depends on whether the fish is fresh or frozen. As a guideline only, a fish weighing between 500g-600g will require to be steamed approx. 8mins; 700g-800g will require approx. 12mins; 900g-1kg will require approx. 16mins. Use the tip of a knife to poke the thickest part of the fish to check if the fish is cooked.
Rock sugar is basically unprocessed raw sugar that is less sweet and neutral in taste that won’t alter the dish's flavor. You could use any types of sugar if you so desired.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHINESE STYLE STEAMED FISH

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(Serves 4-6 peoples)

✅️ ±1 Kg Nannygai Fish

✅️ 4 Stalks Spring Onions

✅️ 2 Bunches Coriander Leaves

✅️ ±100 Gm Ginger

✅️ 1 Red Chili

✅️ 30 Gm Rock Sugar

✅️ 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

✅️ 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

✅️ ¼ Ground White Pepper

✅️ ¼ Cup Plain Water

✅️ 2 Chinese Cooking Wine

✅️ 2 Tbsp Corn Flour

✅️ ½ Tsp Salt

✅️ ¼ Cup Cooking Oil

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

To prepare the garnishes, thinly sliced the ginger, spring onions (green part only leaving the white part for later) and red chilies. Transfer them to a bowl. Pick the coriander leaves from 2 bunches (leaving the stalks for later) and add to the bowl. Toss and mix the garnishes and then set aside.
To prepare the steam fish, cut and remove the fish vent and rub the fish with corn flour all over. Wash the fish and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Sprinkle salt onto the fish and its stomach and transfer the fish on top of a baking paper. Place the fish into a deep stainless steel basin and arrange sliced ginger on top of the fish and also insert this into its stomach. Bend and tied 2 stalks of spring onions and place them onto the fish before drizzling the cooking wine over. Place the steaming rack on the stir fry pan and pour water until the water reaches ¾ level of the steamer stand. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over HIGH heat. Steam the fish for approx. 16mins while preparing the sauce.
Add light soy sauce, sesame oil, ground white pepper, rock sugar and plain water to a small pot. Stir the mixture until the rock sugar fully dissolved over LOW heat. Add sliced ginger, spring onions (white part only from the earlier garnishes preparation) and coriander stalks (from the earlier garnishes preparation) into the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil over MEDIUM heat and continue to simmer for 1 min over LOW heat before switching the heat OFF. Remove and discard the ginger, spring onions and the coriander stalks from the pot.
After 15 mins, carefully remove the fish from the pan. Remove and discard the ginger and spring onions from the fish. Pour and discard the cloudy and fishy liquid that is produced during steaming. Slide the fish over a serving plate and discard the baking paper. Pour the HOT sauce prepared earlier over the steamed fish and arrange the garnishes onto the fish. Heat up a ¼ cup cooking oil until it is smoking HOT then pour it onto the fish and its garnishes. Steamed fish are best enjoy while it is warm with a warm bed of rice.

RECIPE PHOTO GALLERY