Whole Steamed Fish

Whole Steamed Fish is a cherished family dish passed down through generations, featuring tender fish marinated in rice wine and soy sauce, with ginger and scallions. Steamed to perfection and finished with a sizzling pour of hot oil, this flavorful dish is a true celebration of simple, aromatic ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Lunar New Year, Taiwanese

Keyword Ginger, Grapeseed Oil, Honey, Kosher Salt, Scallions, Shaoxing Wine, Snapper, Striped Sea Bass, Tilapia, Water

Cooking Method Stovetop

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 215kcal

Author Recipe Adapted From: Epicurious

Equipment

Steamer Basket
Stovetop
Small Skillet

Ingredients

1-2 pounds Tilapia Substitutes: snapper or striped sea bass, cleaned and scaled
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Shaoxing Wine
½ Tablespoon Soy Sauce Low-sodium
½ teaspoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Water
2 knobs Ginger Peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
4 Scallions Green and white parts
3 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil Substitutes: peanut or vegetable oil

Instructions

With kitchen shears, remove the fins on the sides and bottom of the fish. With a knife, scrape against the fish to remove any scales that still remain. Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry. Starting just behind the fin, cut three parallel lines diagonally across the fish then place onto a heatproof plate. Season the fish with the salt. Pour the Shaoxing wine on both sides of the fish. Mix together the soy sauce, honey, and water in a bowl, and then pour on both sides of the fish.
Stack a few ginger slices at a time and cut into thin strips. Repeat until all the ginger has been cut. Place half the ginger strips into the cavity of the fish and the other half on top of the fish. Slice the scallions into thirds crosswise, then cut lengthwise into long, thin strips; set aside. Place the plate of fish into a bamboo steamer. If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, place the plate on a metal steamer basket and put a lid on the pot to cover. If the fish doesn’t fit on the plate, cut the tail and place it next to the fish.
Fill a pot that will fit your steamer with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Place the steamer in the pot and cover. Steam for 10 minutes, until the fish is tender but not flaky and overcooked. The fish’s eyes will be completely opaque when it’s ready. Sprinkle the scallion strips all over the top of the fish and continue steaming, covered, for 2 minutes.
In a small skillet over high heat, warm the oil until it’s very hot (it will be glistening). Remove from the heat and carefully pour all over the scallion strips atop the fish; it will sizzle. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you don’t have an Asian supermarket near you, look for a whole fish at your local fishmonger or supermarket, and have them scale and clean it for you.

Nutrition