Chinese food is 100% not all about deep frying and MSG-packed sauces. A typical weeknight meal would include some really simple stir-fry and steamed dishes. Yes, steamed. Chinese steamed fish is absolutely one of the most common dishes on every household’s dinner tables. While steamed food often gives off the impression of being healthy & boring, Chinese dishes may just prove you wrong! It’s not just for regular household dinners, Chinese steamed fish is also commonly served at Chinese banquets and it’s always quite a delightful sight on the table.
What Type of Fish to Use for Steamed Fish
My number one pick would be Grouper fish. I have plenty of fond memories of going to the market with my dad picking out a fresh live Grouper fish for our Saturday seafood night. Common alternative options include Sea Bass (which is what I’ve used here), Tilapia, Red Snapper, Pomfret, etc.
Most whole fish are fine for steaming, to be honest. Ones that are not recommended for steaming include Mackerel, Swordfish, Tuna, and Halibut. Another thing to consider is the amount of small bones in the fish. If you are not familiar with eating whole fish with bones, it’s best to stick with those without many small thin bones to prevent choking. This is one of the reasons why my family prefers Grouper!
Can You Make This Chinese Steamed Fish Recipe with Fish Fillets?
Yes! I actually used to just use cod fillets to make steamed fish when I first moved here as I was unable to find whole fish. You can follow the exact same method but the cooking time is going to be less when using fish fillets.
How to Make Chinese Steamed Fish
Ingredients You Need
- Fish
- Ginger
- Spring Onions
- Garlic
- Cooking Oil
- Light Soy Sauce or Seasoned Soy Sauce – to serve
What Kitchenware You Need
- A steam rack or steam cooker insert
- Wok / cooking pot with lid
- A large oval plate that can fit the fish
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The most essential thing about steamed food is the freshness of the ingredients. There is no hiding and it’s all about the real fresh flavours. So always go for trusted brands and reputable fishmongers to get your fish. If you can get the fish live, that would be most ideal. Always look for fish with clear eyes instead of those that have turned cloudy and fish with a firm texture.
- Make sure the fish has been descaled and degutted with any gills & fins removed. You can usually ask the fishmonger to do that for you. Packaged whole fish from the supermarket are usually ready to cook as well.
- The role of ginger in steamed fish is to omit the fishy smell and taste. If you’ve got excellent quality fresh fish, then you can use less ginger.
- Cooking time is important. You don’t want to overcook the fish which results in a rubbery texture. For whole fish, the cooking time is about 8-10 minutes. A common traditional way of checking if the fish is ready is to insert a chopstick into the thickest part of the fish and the flesh should be opaque & flake easily.
- One final trick to a good steamed fish dish is the sizzling hot oil. Use a cleaver or large knife and smash a clove or two of garlic to let out the flavours and fry them in hot oil until fragrant. Then drizzle this garlic-infused oil over the fish before adding soy sauce to it.
- You can get seasoned soy sauce that’s specifically for steamed fish or just use regular light soy sauce to serve.
How to Serve Chinese Steamed Fish
With Jasmine rice! Steamed fish is typically served in a communal setting as a sharing dish. Everyone gets a bowl of steamed Jasmine rice with various dishes placed in the middle of a table for sharing. These other dishes typically include stir-fried vegetables and some meat dishes.
Looking for more Chinese/Asian recipe inspo? Check these out too:
Chinese Steamed Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Fish (around 520g or 2 smaller fish as pictured) washed & patted dry
- 30-40 g Ginger julienned
- 2-3 stalks Spring Onions sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic smashed
- 1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Seasoned Soy Sauce or Light Soy Sauce to serve
Instructions
- Scatter some ginger on the plate and place the fish over it. Add all the remaining ginger on top and stuff some of them inside the cavity of the fish.1 Whole Fish (around 520g or 2 smaller fish as pictured), 30-40 g Ginger
- In a wok or pot, bring water to a boil and place the steam rack/steam insert into it.
- Place the plate of fish on top and cover with a lid to cook for 8-10 minutes. Test whether the fish is ready by inserting a fork or chopstick. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily when cooked.
- Take the plate of fish out of the wok/pot/steamer. Top it with sliced spring onions.2-3 stalks Spring Onions
- In a separate pan, heat cooking oil over high heat. Once hot, fry the garlic in the oil until fragrant and the garlic is starting to char. Discard the charred garlic and pour the hot oil over the fish.2 cloves Garlic, 1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Drizzle soy sauce over the fish and serve immediately with steamed rice.Seasoned Soy Sauce or Light Soy Sauce
Notes
- Steaming means there is no hiding about the ingredient’s real flavour. So always go for trusted brands and reputable fishmongers to get your fish.
- If you can get the fish live, that would be most ideal. Always look for fish with clear eyes instead of those that have turned cloudy and fish with a firm texture.
- Make sure the fish has been descaled, degutted, and with any gills & fins removed. You can usually ask the fishmonger to do that for you. Packaged whole fish from the supermarket are usually ready to cook.
- The role of ginger in steamed fish is to omit the fishy smell and taste. If you’ve got excellent quality fresh fish, then you can use less ginger.
- Do not overcook the fish as it would result in a rubbery texture. A common traditional way of checking if the fish is ready is to insert a chopstick into the thickest part of the fish and the flesh should be opaque & flake easily.
- Smashing the garlic before frying it in hot oil helps to release the flavour and subtly enhances the overall taste of the dish when you pour the hot oil over.
- You can get seasoned soy sauce that’s specifically for steamed fish or just use regular light soy sauce to serve.
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