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Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 142 reviews

This Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish recipe offers a delicate and fragrant preparation of fresh white-fleshed fish, infused with ginger, scallions, cilantro, and a flavorful soy-sherry sauce. The fish is gently steamed to tender perfection and topped with sizzling hot oil poured over aromatic herbs, making it a quintessential healthy and elegant dish in Cantonese cuisine.

Ingredients

Scale

Herbs and 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

Sauce

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

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 for rinsing. Rinse the larger cilantro stems separately and scatter them on a plate that will fit the fish.
  2. Prepare ginger: Trim the skin and small knobs off the ginger. Scatter the trimmings on the plate with cilantro stems. Peel and cut the ginger lengthwise into the thinnest planks possible, then slice those into thin slivers. Transfer the ginger slivers into the salad spinner with the cilantro leaves.
  3. Prepare scallions: Roughly split the scallions where the light green parts transition to dark green. Add the dark green ends to the plate with cilantro stems and ginger trimmings.
  4. Slice scallion whites and light greens: Cut the white and light green parts of the scallions into rough 2-inch segments, then split each segment lengthwise in half. Lay each half cut side down and slice lengthwise into the thinnest slivers possible. Add these scallion slivers to the salad spinner with the ginger and cilantro leaves.
  5. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
  6. Prepare steamer: Place a steaming rack or a few clean, empty tuna cans (tops and bottoms removed) in a wide, deep, lidded pan or wok. Add water until it just reaches below the top of the rack. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
  7. Prepare the fish: If using a whole fish, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. For fish weighing 2 pounds or more, make a couple of deep slashes perpendicular to its spine for even cooking. Lightly salt the fish and stuff some of the large cilantro stems and ginger trimmings inside the fish cavity if desired. Place the fish on the plate with aromatics. If using fillets, shingle them to fit.
  8. Steam the fish: Transfer the plate to the steamer, cover, and steam until the flesh near the thickest part flakes easily or shows little resistance when poked. This usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes for flat fish and thin fillets, and 9 to 12 minutes for round fish.
  9. Transfer the fish: Using a thin metal spatula or two, carefully transfer the fish to a serving platter. Alternatively, serve directly on the steaming plate. Drain excess liquid by gently holding the fish down with a spatula as you tilt the plate over the sink. Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the hot fish.
  10. Finish with aromatics and hot oil: Drain and spin the cilantro leaves, ginger slivers, and scallion slivers in the salad spinner to remove excess water, then toss them into a loose nest. Spread half the aromatics over the fish. Sprinkle with sliced red chili if using. Heat the neutral oil in a small skillet until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully spoon or pour the hot oil over the aromatics on the fish—it should sizzle and sputter creating a fragrant finish. Top with the remaining fresh aromatics and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use the freshest white-fleshed fish available, such as sea bass, grouper, or snapper for the best flavor and texture.
  • Young ginger is preferred because it is more tender and less fibrous than mature ginger.
  • Keeping the aromatics very thinly sliced helps them release maximum flavor and aroma during steaming.
  • Pouring hot oil over the aromatics just before serving enhances their fragrance and adds richness to the dish.
  • If you cannot find Shaoxing wine, dry sherry is a suitable substitute.
  • This method works well with both whole fish and fish fillets; adjust steaming time accordingly.

Keywords: steamed fish, Cantonese recipe, Chinese steamed fish, healthy fish recipe, ginger scallion fish, Chinese cooking, soy sauce fish

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