Cantonese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallion

Name: Cantonese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallion
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 1 (about 1¾ lb) very fresh whole white fish, scaled and gutted, about 800 g: sea bass, bream or snapper; or 4 thick fillets; 3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry; 5 cm fresh ginger, half sliced, half cut into very fine matchsticks; 4 scallions, 2 in long pieces, 2 finely shredded lengthwise; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp hot water; 3 tbsp neutral oil, sunflower or canola; peanut oil is traditional if no one is allergic; 1 bunch cilantro, small, sprigs

Whole fish steamed until just tender, then showered with sizzling oil

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Level: Some skill

A Cantonese banquet dish that's simple at home: a whole fish steamed just until the flesh parts from the bone, topped with fine shreds of ginger and scallion, splashed with seasoned soy and finished with smoking-hot oil that makes the aromatics sizzle. The method is gentle and fast; the one thing to watch is the clock.

Ingredients

1very fresh whole white fish, scaled and gutted (about 1¾ lb)about 800 g: sea bass, bream or snapper; or 4 thick fillets
3 gfine sea salt (½ tsp)
1 tbspShaoxing wineor dry sherry
5 cmfresh gingerhalf sliced, half cut into very fine matchsticks
4scallions2 in long pieces, 2 finely shredded lengthwise
3 tbsplight soy sauce
1 tspsugar
2 tbsphot water
3 tbspneutral oilsunflower or canola; peanut oil is traditional if no one is allergic
1 bunchcilantrosmall, sprigs

Diet: Dairy-free, Pescatarian
Allergens: fish, soy, gluten, sulphites
Origin: China (Cantonese)

Method

Soak the shredded scallions and ginger matchsticks in iced water for 10 minutes so they curl and crisp. Drain well. 10 min
Pat the fish dry inside and out. Cut 2 deep slashes on each side down to the bone. Rub with the salt and Shaoxing wine.
Lay the sliced ginger and long scallion pieces on a heatproof plate that fits in your steamer (or in a wok or wide pan with a rack and lid). Set the fish on top — this lifts it so steam can circulate.
Bring 5 cm of water to a rolling boil. Put the plate in, cover tightly and steam over high heat for 8–12 minutes (about 8 minutes per 2.5 cm of thickness; fillets 5–7 minutes). 10 min
Check at the thickest part by the head: the flesh should be opaque and lift cleanly off the bone, 55–58°C (131–136°F). Carefully lift out the plate, pour off the cloudy liquid and discard the ginger and scallion from underneath.
Stir the soy, sugar and hot water together and pour over and around the fish. Pile the crisp ginger and scallion shreds on top.
Heat the oil in a small pan until it just starts to smoke. Pour it carefully over the shreds — they will hiss and wilt. Scatter with cilantro and serve right away with rice.

Why it works

Steam transfers heat efficiently but gently at 100°C, cooking the fish evenly and keeping it moist and delicate. Pouring off the steaming liquid removes the fishier, cloudy juices, leaving a clean soy dressing. The smoking oil blooms the raw ginger and scallion in a second, releasing their fragrance over the hot fish.

Common mistakes

Over-steaming: one or two minutes too long and the flesh turns dry and woolly. Check early.
Not lifting the fish off the plate — it cooks unevenly where it sits flat.
Lukewarm oil won't sizzle; it should be just smoking.

Variations

Fillets: Steam 4 skin-on fillets (150 g each) for 5–7 minutes, same dressing.
With black beans: Scatter 1 tbsp rinsed fermented black beans and a sliced chili over the fish before steaming.

Make ahead and storage

Best steamed and served immediately.

Notes

No steamer? Put a wire rack or three balls of foil in a wide pan with water, set the plate on top and cover with a lid. Use tamari and dry sherry for a gluten-free version. Add peanut if using peanut oil.