25-Min Chinese Steamed Fish Recipe
Chinese Steamed Fish is a classic Cantonese-style dish where a whole fish is gently steamed and finished with aromatic ginger, scallions, and a fragrant soy-based sauce.
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1½ pound striped bass gutted, descaled, and cleaned
- 3 stalks scallions
- 6 slices ginger
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
For the sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 stalks scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 sprigs cilantro, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 slices ginger
- 1 small shallot, cubed
- 1 teaspoon dried shrimp
For the toppings
- 2 stalks scallions, julienned
- 3 slices ginger, julienned
- ⅛ medium red bell pepper, julienned
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil high-smoking-point
Instructions
- To prepare the fish, pat the fish dry with paper towels, including the belly cavity. Using a sharp knife, cut along both sides of the backbone from inside the fish without cutting through the skin.
- To make the sauce, in a pot over low heat, combine the water, soy sauce, scallions, cilantro, ginger, shallot, and dried shrimp. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes until fragrant, then strain the sauce and set aside.
- To prepare the fish for steaming, place the scallion stalks on a heatproof plate to create a rack and set the fish on top. Brush the fish lightly with cooking oil and place the ginger slices on top.
- To steam the fish, bring water to a boil in a large steamer over high heat. Carefully place the fish inside, cover, and steam for about 6 minutes.
- To finish the dish, remove the fish and pour off the steaming liquid. Discard the ginger and scallions used during steaming. Top the fish with the julienned scallions, ginger, and red bell pepper. Heat the cooking oil until smoking and carefully pour it over the aromatics. Drizzle the prepared sauce around the fish and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Pat the fish dry: Drying the fish removes excess moisture and helps eliminate lingering fishy aromas before steaming.
Butterfly the fish: Cutting along both sides of the backbone helps the fish cook more evenly and makes the meat easier to separate when serving.
Elevate the fish: Placing the fish on scallions lifts it slightly so steam can circulate evenly underneath.
Adjust steaming time: A 1½-pound fish typically steams in about 6 minutes. Add about 2 minutes for every additional ½ pound.
Discard the steaming liquid: The liquid released during steaming often contains stronger fish aromas, so pouring it off keeps the final flavor clean.
Don’t skip the hot oil: Pouring hot oil over the aromatics releases their fragrance and gives the dish its signature Cantonese restaurant-style aroma.