Steamed Whole Fish

Name: Steamed Whole Fish
Yield: Serves 3–4
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: Superior dark soy sauce ½ tsp; Spring onion (scallion) 1, cut into 3-cm (1-in) lengths; Salt ⅛ tsp; Peanut oil 2 tsp; Sesame oil 1 tsp; Young ginger 4-cm (1½-in) knob, peeled and finely shredded; Red chilli 1, deseeded and cut into fine shreds; Spring onions (scallions) 2, cut into fine shreds; White peppercorns ¼ tsp; Coriander leaves (cilantro) with roots 1 small sprig, well washed; Water 150 ml (5 fl oz); Rock sugar 25 g (⅘ oz), finely crushed; Superior light soy sauce 80 ml (2½ fl oz); Dried tangerine peel 1 very small piece; Whole fish 1, about 700 g (1½ lb); Ginger 4–5 thin slices; Shaoxing rice wine 1 tsp

Preparation info

Serves
3–4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Chinese Heritage Cooking

By Christopher Tan and Amy Van

Published 2018

About

The success of this dish depends on using supremely fresh fish and having precise timing. Diners should be seated and waiting for the fish as it steams, as once done, the fish will wait for no one. Every element is designed to precisely enhance the taste of the fish in some way—the high heat cooks the flesh quickly, preserving its freshness, the acidity of the spring onion (scallion) and ginger balance the richness of the oils in the fish fat and the final drizzle of sauce over the cooked f