Chinese Steamed Fish
Tender and juicy Chinese steamed fish just like in the Chinese restaurants! This fragrant, mild, and healthy recipe is way easier to prepare than you think. Whole fish or fish fillets work amazingly! No worries if you don't have a steamer because we've written out the alternative method which is oven-steamed, that gives equally tender and juicy steamed fish.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 12 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1 lb bone-in whole sea bream or white fish fillets (, prepped)
- 1/4 cup less sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 thumb sized ginger (, julienned)
- some spring onion (, julienned)
- 1 chili (, sliced)
- 3 tbsp oil (, preferably mild flavored with high smoke point)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your steamer. We're using a wok. Place the steamer rack in, followed by water just until 1 inch before touching the rack. Bring the water to a boil and place the whole fish or fish fillets on a heatproof serving plate, on the rack. Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes.
- 2
Once the fish is cooked, carefully remove it from the steamer and discard the steam water in the plate.
- 3
While the fish is steaming, add soy sauce, mirin, sugar, white pepper, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl. Mix well. Slice ginger, scallion (or spring onion), and chili thinly, and set aside.
- 4
Pour the sauce on the steamed fish. Place the ginger, scallion, and chili on top. Heat oil in a pot until it's very hot, and then pour on top of the trimmings and watch them sizzle! Serve immediately with some rice. Enjoy your Chinese steamed fish!
- 5
Place the whole fish or fish fillets on a large parchment paper, on a baking tray. Fold the paper in half, fold the sides upwards, and secure them. We love to do it with a paper stapler! Place in a preheated oven at 430ºF (220ºC), on the middle rack, for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked. Carefully open the parcel, place the steamed fish on a serving plate, and follow the recipe instructions for the sauce, garnish, and assemble.