{"id":11772,"date":"2020-09-25T21:31:40","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T21:31:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/?p=11772"},"modified":"2025-12-04T00:34:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T00:34:43","slug":"chinese-steamed-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/chinese-steamed-fish\/","title":{"rendered":"Steamed Fish, the Chinese Way (\u6e05\u84b8\u9c7c)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A fresh whole fish steamed to a tender texture, seasoned with a delicious dressing, Chinese steamed fish requires little cooking skill but tastes incredible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chinese<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A feasts classic<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I shared in my Tasting Table<\/em> interview on symbolic Chinese food<\/a>, there’s a well-known saying that shows just how important fish is in Chinese cuisine: 无鱼不成席 (Wú Yú Bù Chéng Xí<\/em>), meaning you can’t call it a feast if there is no fish present. Among many classics, steamed fish is no doubt the most popular type as it retains the best natural taste of the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the centrepiece of a multi-course meal for festivals and special occasions (e.g. Chinese New Year feasts<\/a>), the fish is supposed to be whole with the head, tail and fins all in place. As I mentioned in my recipe for Sweet & Sour Fish<\/a>, the Chinese character “余” (abundant<\/em>) shares the same pronunciation as 鱼 (fish<\/em>), therefore a fish dish symbolizes abundance year after year (年年有余). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today’s recipe is based on Cantonese style steamed fish which is seasoned with a simple soy sauce based dressing, along with aromatics like scallions and ginger. I give the traditional recipe a twist by infusing the oil with dried chili and Sichuan peppercorn. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Choose the fish<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many types of fish can be used to make delicious Chinese style steamed fish. For shooting this recipe, I used sea bream which is widely available in the UK. Sea bass, grass carp, perch, grouper, catfish, flounder, etc. all work very well. Although traditional recipes call for white flesh fish, I find rainbow trout a great option too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Picking<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No matter what fish you use, make sure it’s as fresh as possible (straight out of a fisherman’s net if possible). Believe me! In terms of both taste and texture, the freshness of the fish contributes the most to the success of this steamed dish. It’s not ideal, but acceptable, to use frozen fish for heavily seasoned dishes, such as Sichuan Boiled Fish<\/a> or Sweet & Sour Fish<\/a>. But for today’s recipe, I strongly recommend fresh fish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Prepare the fish<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the service is available, have the fish gutted and descaled by the fishmonger, but keep the head and tail on for the whole look. If you have to do the work yourself, have a look at this tutorial on how to descale and gut a fresh fish<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before steaming, give the fish a good rinse under running water then pat dry thoroughly using kitchen paper. Lay the fish on a chopping board to cut it at a 45-degree angle several times on each side. This helps to cook through quickly and allow more flavour to penetrate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cutting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The last step of preparation is to “dress” the fish with some aromatics: scallions and ginger. Cut them into thin strips and place them underneath and over the fish, as well as inside the cavity. During steaming, they lend a beautiful, subtle aroma to the fish. Be generous in volume if you appreciate their tastes as I do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How to steamer<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Steamer set-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To steam a fish whole, you would usually need a wok that is big enough to fit a plate which holds the fish. Here is how you set up a steamer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Place a small bowl in the middle of the wok (use a wire steamer rack instead if you have one).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Add water to the wok. Make sure it’s lower than the bowl\/rack.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Bring the water to a full boil then put the fish plate on top of the bowl\/rack. Cover with a lid to steam.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    The home version of bamboo or metal steamers are often too small for placing a whole fish in (especially if you’ve got an extra-long one). In this case, follow the “cheat” method that I learnt from food writer Fuchsia Dunlop<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n