Steamed Fish with Ginger and Spring Onion
A classic Cantonese dish featuring steamed sea bass infused with ginger and spring onion, served with a savory sauce.
Cook's notes
You don’t need a traditional steamer for this recipe — the oven works beautifully as a makeshift steamer. Place the fish in any oven‑safe serving dish or heatproof plate along with the aromatics and seasonings. Set that inside a larger baking pan, then pour hot water into the outer pan to create a gentle steam bath. Cover the whole setup tightly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C); the enclosed moist heat cooks the fish just as delicately as a stovetop steamer. When adding the hot water, go slowly and take care — steam and splashes can be very hot. A steady, unhurried pour is all you need.
Ingredients
- 5 piece spring onions(trimmed and cut into long, thin slivers)
- 2 oz (57g) ginger(peeled and cut into thin slivers)
- 1 lb (454g) sea bass(choose a whole mild white fish (like sea bass or snapper), scaled and cleaned, head and tail intact)
- salt
- 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp (44ml) light soy sauce or tamari
- 4 tbsp (59ml) cooking oil
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the fish and pat it dry. Make diagonal cuts on both sides of the fish, then rub salt into the cuts and cavity.
- 2
Pour Shaoxing wine over the fish and rub it in. Stuff some ginger and spring onion into the cavity and place the rest on top of the fish.
- 3
Let the fish marinate for 10–15 minutes.
- 4
Pour oil into a pan and heat until smoking. Pour half over the fish, then lay it on a steaming plate.
- 5
Steam the fish for 10–12 minutes until cooked through. Test by inserting a chopstick into the thickest part; it should slide in easily.
- 6
Transfer the fish to a serving plate, pour the soy sauce—thinned with 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the steaming plate—around the fish, then scatter the ginger and spring onion on top.
- 7
Heat the remaining oil until shimmering and carefully pour it over the ginger and spring onion. Serve right away.
Tip: The sauce is fantastic with steamed rice.
Minsuri
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