How To Make Chinese Steamed Fish
Oct 9th, 2007 by admin
I’m sure you know how much Chinese restaurants charge for Cantonese steamed fish. Rather than spending in excess of £20 to £40 on this one dish, why not prepare it at home instead? It’s really simple, according to my mother, and very healthy for you. You can steam any type of fish, but Chinese people usually like whole fish – sea bass, turbot, halibut or sole, to name but a few.
What to do:
- It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to steam a normal-sized whole fish. If the fish is too large or quite thick, then cut it in half (as above). After cleaning, descaling and gutting the fish, make 3 shallow slashes diagonally on each side, then rub in some salt and wine vinegar. Rinse with water after 15- 20 minutes. Doing this will remove the smell of the fish as well as add more flavour to it
- Add boiling water, about 5 cm or 2 inches, to a large wok or pan. Place the fish on a metal platter or dish, which sits on a metal rack inside the wok or pan. Place very finely sliced or shredded ginger and spring onion on top of the fish and cover the wok or pan with a lid. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes until just cooked. It really depends on the size and thickness of your fish
- When the fish is ready (you can test it with a fork or chopstick), pour away the sauce, ginger and onion bits. Add a bit of salt and white pepper, a few drops of lemon juice or white wine and light soy sauce (not too much to start with, in case you make the fish too salty).
- Heat a pan, add some vegetable oil and fry more finely sliced ginger and spring onion for a few minutes. Pour all this on top of the fish, and place some cooked pieces of spring onion under the fish as well. Eat while hot with steamed white rice!
- NB If the flesh near the backbone is still a bit bloody, then just avoid eating this part. Unfortunately, if you cook the fish a bit more at this stage, the entire fish will end up being overcooked. It’s hard to get the fish absolutely perfect each time and even my mother doesn’t always manage this!
See my recent post on my favourite Cantonese home-cooked meals for my mother’s other recipes.
Click for all Chinese recipes on World Foodie Guide
This is one of my favorite dishes ever! I still haven’t been able to fully replicate my mother’s recipe. We also stuff the fish with chinese parsley (cilantro) and lup cheung and it is to die for!
Danielle – oh, that’s an interesting way to cook steamed fish. I love lap cheung and coriander, but have never thought of stuffing the fish with both. Thanks for the tip!
Helen Yuet Ling Pang
what can you sub for wine vinegar?
lynn – I understand the question but there is a reason for using the wine vinegar, so if you use something else, it won’t really be the same. Are you asking because you can’t get hold of wine vinegar or you don’t want to use it?
Hi;
ive make this dish this Saturday and it taste super!! my hubby loves it so much.
i added abit of dark soy sauce to the sauce part and it ended quite nice too. Thanks for the recipe.
admin Reply:
July 5th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Great to hear that it works! Now I want it for dinner….
wanna check it out with you that if you have more recipe for steam fish?
admin Reply:
July 8th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Unfortunately not yet. But I have a great new cookery book Balance & Harmony and hope to make more things from it, including steamed fish. I guess you’re looking for different sauces rather than methods? Classic Cantonese is the best!
Harry Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Hello Helen,
As a frequent (business) traveler to China I have become an absolute lover of all varieties of steamed fish. Recently I had a very nice one that I want to make myself, however I havbe to find out the exact vegetables that were used.
The pan was on a griddle on the table, up to 1/2 filled with vegetables, and the fish was (chopped in 2″ pieces) put on top. With the lid on the fish was actually steamed on top of the vegetables for 10 mins. For finish a thick soy sauce was added, and all ingredients were mixed. Delicious, and so simple!
I really have to find out the vegatables that were used, and also how to make this soy sauce. Can you help me out, or spread some ideas? I only know there was spring-onions, ginger, garlic (lots),
I could send you some pictures (mailaddress?) if you like.
Regards
Harry
Netherlands
Harry – thanks for your comment and I’m so pleased you had a wonderful meal in China. Unfortunately I’m no expert on Chinese regional cuisine (you don’t state where you had this dish) so I won’t be able to identify cooked vegetables underneath fish, even from photos. Next time, you should ask the staff to write the ingredients down for you. Even if they’re in Chinese, supermarket staff in the Netherlands will be able to help you pick out the ingredients from your notes. All the best!
Helen Yuet Ling
hi helen, which fish do you like to use? my fave is sea bass. i am going to try your method today. as you know, am a huge fan of your blog and your Leica, in particular
shayma – hello! Sea bass is good. We also like halibut. A firm, meaty white fish is best. Dover sole is also nice if you like a more delicate fish. Congratulations on your new blog by the way!
Helen Yuet Ling