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Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish Recipe

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4.5 from 94 reviews

This Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish recipe features a whole white-fleshed fish delicately steamed with fresh ginger, scallions, and cilantro, enhanced by a savory soy-sherry sauce and finished with hot oil poured over aromatic herbs for a fragrant, tender, and flavorful dish perfect for a light and healthy meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Fish and Marinade

  • 1 whole white-fleshed fish, cleaned and gutted, about 1½ to 2½ pounds (or 1 to 1½ pounds lean white fish fillets)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

Aromatics

  • 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated from larger stems
  • 1 (1½-inch) knob fresh young ginger (about 1 ounce), scrubbed
  • 6 whole scallions, ends trimmed
  • 1 small hot, fresh red pepper (such as Fresno or Thai bird’s-eye), thinly sliced (optional)

Finishing

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cilantro and Aromatics: Fill a salad spinner with very cold water and submerge the cilantro leaves and tender stems, rinsing them gently. Scatter the larger cilantro stems on a large plate sized to fit your fish.
  2. Prepare the Ginger: Trim the skin and small knobs off the ginger and scatter the trimmings over the cilantro stems on the plate. Peel the ginger, then cut lengthwise into the thinnest planks possible. Cut these planks into thin slivers and place them into the salad spinner with the cilantro leaves.
  3. Prepare the Scallions: Separate the scallions at the transition between the light green and dark green parts. Add the dark green ends to the plate with cilantro stems. Cut the light green and white parts crosswise into rough 2-inch segments, then split each segment lengthwise. With the cut side down, slice each half lengthwise into the thinnest slivers possible and place them into the salad spinner with the ginger and cilantro leaves.
  4. Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then set aside for later use.
  5. Prepare the Steamer: Place a steaming rack or several clean, empty tuna cans with tops and bottoms removed into a wide, deep, lidded pan or wok. Add enough water to reach just below the top of the rack and bring to a boil over high heat.
  6. Prepare the Fish: If using whole fish, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If fish weighs 2 pounds or more, make a few deep slashes perpendicular to the spine for even cooking. Lightly salt the fish and stuff some of the aromatic stems from the plate into the cavity if using whole fish. Lay the fish on the bed of cilantro stems and scallion dark greens. If using fillets, shingle them to fit the plate.
  7. Steam the Fish: Transfer the plate with fish onto the steaming rack, cover with the lid, and steam until the meat near the thickest part flakes easily or shows little resistance when poked. This should take about 7-10 minutes for flat fish or thin fillets, and 9-12 minutes for round fish.
  8. Transfer and Sauce the Fish: Using a thin metal spatula or two, carefully transfer the fish to a serving platter, or serve on the steaming plate if preferred (draining excess liquid by tilting and pressing gently with a spatula). Pour the prepared soy-sherry sauce over the hot fish.
  9. Prepare Aromatics and Finish: Drain and spin the cilantro leaves, ginger, and scallion slivers in the salad spinner to remove excess water, then toss gently to form a tangled nest. Spread half of these aromatics over the fish and sprinkle with sliced chili if using.
  10. Heat Oil and Serve: Heat the neutral oil in a small skillet until shimmering and just barely smoking. Carefully spoon or pour the hot oil over the aromatics on the fish to create a sizzling effect. Top with the remaining fresh aromatics and serve the dish immediately.

Notes

  • Use a fresh white-fleshed fish such as tilapia, sea bass, or snapper for best results.
  • Make sure to slice ginger and scallions as thinly as possible for optimal flavor release.
  • Adjust steaming time depending on the thickness and type of fish used to avoid overcooking.
  • The hot oil poured over the aromatics is essential for releasing flavors and adding aroma—do not skip this step.
  • If no steaming rack or cans are available, use a heatproof plate elevated above water level inside a wok or large pan.
  • Shaoxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.

Keywords: Cantonese steamed fish, steamed whole fish, ginger scallion fish, healthy fish recipe, Chinese steamed fish

Find it online: https://www.cheftara.com/cantonese-style-steamed-fish-recipe-5/