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Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 68 reviews

This Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish recipe highlights a delicate and aromatic approach to cooking fresh fish, utilizing fresh cilantro, ginger, scallions, and a light soy-based sauce. The fish is steamed to tender perfection and served with sizzling hot oil poured over fresh aromatics, creating a dish that is vibrant, flavorful, and healthy. Perfect for those seeking a traditional Chinese seafood dish that is light yet packed with umami and fragrance.

Ingredients

Scale

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)

Fish and Seasoning

  • 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

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

Cooking Oil

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Aromatics: Fill a salad spinner with very cold water and add the cilantro leaves and tender stems. Rinse the larger cilantro stems and scatter them on a plate large enough to fit your fish.
  2. Prep the Ginger: Trim any skin and small knobs off the ginger, scatter these trimmings over the cilantro stems on the plate. Peel the ginger and cut it lengthwise into the thinnest planks possible, then further slice the planks into slivers. Transfer the ginger slivers to the salad spinner with cilantro leaves.
  3. Prepare the Scallions: Split scallions where light green meets dark green; add the dark green ends to the plate with cilantro stems. Cut the whites and light green parts crosswise into rough 2-inch segments, split each segment in half lengthwise, then lay each half cut side down on the board and slice lengthwise into the thinnest slivers. Add these to the salad spinner alongside the ginger and cilantro leaves.
  4. Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the Chinese light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar mostly dissolves. Set aside.
  5. Prepare the Steamer: Place a steaming rack or several clean, empty tuna cans (tops and bottoms removed) inside a wide, deep, lidded pan or wok. Add water just below the rack level and bring it to a boil over high heat.
  6. Prepare the Fish: Rinse the whole fish under cold running water; pat dry with paper towels. If fish weighs 2 pounds or more, make deep slashes perpendicular to the spine for even cooking. Lightly salt the fish and stuff some aromatics from the plate into the cavity if using whole fish. Place the fish on top of the aromatics on the plate; fillets can be shingled to fit.
  7. Steam the Fish: Transfer the plate with fish and aromatics onto the steaming rack. Cover and steam until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily or resists little when poked: about 7 to 10 minutes for flat fish or thin fillets, 9 to 12 minutes for round fish.
  8. Transfer Fish to Serving Platter: Using a thin metal spatula or two, carefully transfer the steamed fish to a serving platter. Alternatively, you may serve it directly on the steaming plate after draining excess liquid by holding the fish gently and tilting the plate over the sink.
  9. Pour the Sauce: Pour the prepared soy-sherry sauce mixture over the hot steamed fish evenly.
  10. Prepare Aromatics and Hot Oil Topping: Drain and spin the aromatics in the salad spinner to remove excess water. Toss them together into a nest shape and spread half of the aromatics over the fish. Sprinkle with sliced chili if using. Heat the neutral oil in a small skillet until shimmering and just beginning to smoke. Carefully spoon or pour the hot oil over the aromatics on the fish; the oil will sputter and sizzle, releasing fragrance.
  11. Serve Immediately: Top the fish with the remaining fresh aromatics and serve the dish immediately while hot.

Notes

  • Using fresh young ginger is key for delicate flavor; older ginger may be too fibrous.
  • If using fillets instead of whole fish, adjust steaming time on the shorter end (7-10 minutes).
  • Slashing a whole fish helps even cooking and ensures more heat absorption.
  • Be very careful when pouring hot oil over aromatics to avoid splashing.
  • Serve immediately to enjoy the aroma and texture at their peak.

Keywords: Cantonese steamed fish, steamed white fish, Chinese steamed fish recipe, healthy steamed fish, ginger scallion fish, Cantonese seafood

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