Chinese Steamed Whole Fish With Green Onion And Ginger Recipes

CHINESE STEAMED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Remove any scales from your fish using a serrated steak knife. The areas to look for are the belly and the edges of the fish including the top, near the dorsal fins, and the head. There is nothing worse than having to pick out scales while you're having dinner.
• Cut off any fins with kitchen shears. They are pretty tough, so be careful with this step. Leave the tail and head in tact for presentation.
• Look at the cavity, and you should see the backbone. You may also see a membrane that you should pierce and cut, revealing a blood line near the bone. Run your finger or a spoon across it to clean it thoroughly.
• Check the head and gills. You should not see any gills left, and if there are, remove them with the kitchen shears and rinse the area clean. Older Chinese folks who like dining on the fish head will appreciate this step.
• Give the fish a final rinse, shake off the excess water (no need to pat it dry) and transfer to a heat-proof plate for steaming. No salt, seasoning, or wine should be used on the fish before steaming. Repeat. Nothing on the fresh fish before steaming!
• For steaming, I used an elongated heat-proof plate. To accommodate that, I needed to MacGyver a steaming apparatus that would fit said plate. It's simple enough. I used a wok and metal steam rack. If you need more height to keep the plate above the water in the wok, set a rack on top of a metal can with both ends removed. It's a handy and cheap addition to your kitchen arsenal!
• Steam for 9 minutes and turn off the heat. Use a butter knife to peek at the meat and confirm the fish is cooked through. The meat should be opaque down to the bone, but the bone should be slightly translucent and not fully cooked (remember, you will not be eating the bone. Trust me on this one!).
• Next, carefully pour off all of the liquid accumulated on the plate from steaming and spread half of the ginger, the green portions of the scallion, and the cilantro over the fish.
• Mix the water, salt, sugar, light soy sauce or seasoned soy sauce, and fresh ground white pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the other half of the ginger in a saucepan until the ginger begins to sizzle and add in the sauce mixture. Heat the mixture until simmering.
• Once simmering, add the rest of the oil and white portions of the scallion and stir until the liquid begins to simmer and sizzle once again. Spoon the entire mixture evenly over the fish and serve hot!

CANTONESE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths, and cut the pieces in half lengthwise. Julienne them thinly. Thinly slice about 15g of ginger, and julienne them. Give the cilantro a rough chop. Set the aromatics aside.
• Combine the light soy sauce, salt, sugar and hot water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.
• Prepare your steaming set-up, and fill with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil.
• Rinse your fish fillet, and carefully lay it on an oblong heat-proof plate that will fit into your wok or steaming setup. Carefully place it in the steamer, and adjust the heat to medium. The water should be at a slow boil that generates a good amount of steam, but not so high that the water evaporates too quickly.
• Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes depending upon the size and thickness of your fish fillet. If you have extremely small, thin fillets (half an inch), cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for doneness using a butter knife. If it falls easily through the thickest part of the fillet to the bottom of the plate, the fish is done.
• Turn off the heat, and carefully drain any liquid on the plate. Spread about ⅓ of the scallions, ginger, and cilantro on the steamed fish (alternatively, you can wait to do this AFTER adding the sauce).
• To make the sauce, heat a wok or small saucepan to medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the remaining ⅔ of the ginger, and fry for 1 minute. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for 30 seconds.Then add rest of the scallions and cilantro. The mixture should be sizzling.
• Add the soy sauce mixture. Bring the mixture to a bubble, and cook until the scallions and cilantro are just wilted, about 30 seconds.
• Pour this mixture over the fish. If you prefer to add the raw aromatics after adding the sauce, you can do so now, and heat an additional 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to pour over the raw aromatics. Serve immediately!

STEAMED FISH WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Pat halibut dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of fillet with salt. Scatter the ginger over the top of the fish and place onto a heatproof ceramic dish.
• Place into a bamboo steamer set over several inches of gently boiling water, and cover. Gently steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Pour accumulated water out of the dish and sprinkle the fillet with green onion. Drizzle both soy sauces over the surface of the fish.
• Heat peanut and sesame oils in a small skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to smoke. When the oil is hot, carefully pour on top of the halibut fillet. The very hot oil will cause the green onions and water on top of the fish to pop and spatter all over; be careful. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.

STEAMED WHOLE FISH WITH GINGER, SCALLIONS, AND SOY

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that is both large enough to accommodate it (a glass pie plate works well) and will also fit inside your steamer, bending the fish slightly if it is too long. Stuff half of the ginger inside the cavity of the fish and spread the remaining ginger on top of the fish.
• 2. Pour water into a wok or stockpot and set a steamer in the wok or on the rim of the stockpot. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• 3. Place the plate holding the fish in the steamer, cover, and steam for about 8 minutes, until the fish flakes easily when tested with the tip of a knife.
• 4. While the fish is steaming, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, wine, and 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
• 5. When the fish is ready, carefully remove the plate from the steamer and pour off any accumulated liquid. Lay the scallion and cilantro along the top of the fish. In a small sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Remove the oil from the heat and pour it directly over the scallion and cilantro to "cook" them. Drizzle the soy mixture over the fish and serve immediately.

P.F. CHANG'S STEAMED FISH WITH GINGER AND GREEN ONIONS

Steps:

• Top fish with topping ingredients (salt, white pepper, sesame oil, ginger, and green onions) before steaming. Cook fish 7 to 10 minutes, making sure fish doesn't overcook. Garnish: Remove fish to serving plate. Cover with ginger and green onions. Spread the heated oil over the top to sizzle into the vegetables and fish. Distribute the sauce over the fish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Sauce Instructions: Mix soy sauce, chicken stock and sugar.

CHINESE STEAMED WHOLE FISH WITH GREEN ONION AND GINGER

Steps:

• Scale and clean fish, leave head and tail on as long as it can fit into the steamer.
• Place cleaned fish on a heat proof dish that fits into your steamer.
• Rub fish inside and out with salt, garlic and a pinch of the ginger.
• Stuff the fish cavity with lup cheong, and sprinkle some of the sausage on top.
• place in steamer and steam for 8-10 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, heat peanut oil until it starts to sizzle.
• Remove fish from steamer when done. Sprinkle scallions, remaining ginger and cilantro sprigs on top of fish.
• Pour hot oil on top of fish and let it sizzle. Top with soy sauce.
• Fish with firm meat such as coho salmon, halibut fillets, mullet, pacific threadfin (moi), trout, bass or other snappers can be used.
• A wok can be used to make a steamer. You will need to find a round cake cooling rack or grill rack to fit the wok. Place the water in the bottom of the wok and place the dish of fish on the rack and cover the wok with a lid or aluminum foil. Do not let the water evaporate and clean and oil the wok immediately or it will start to rust.

CANTONESE STEAMED FISH WITH GINGER, CILANTRO & GREEN ONIONS

Steps:

• Pour an inch of water in a wide skillet with a well fitting lid. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat until just simmering.
• Cut the fish fillets into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Lay the pieces on a heat-proof plate that will fit easily inside the skillet (this same plate can be used for serving, if you like), or a steamer insert. Drizzle the cooking wine over top, sprinkle with white pepper, and scatter over ginger strips. Place the plate or steamer insert into the skillet or pot with the simmering water, cover with the lid, and steam until the fish is flakey and almost opaque throughout. The time this takes will vary significantly depending on the thickness of your fish - anywhere from 5 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove the plate or steamer insert, discarding the water and ginger strips. It will continue cooking after it's removed from the heat, so be sure to pull it from its steamy pan when the center still has a touch of translucency.
• If using a steamer insert, move the fish to a serving plate. Scatter the onions and cilantro over the fish.
• Heat the canola oil in a small skillet until just beginning to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the steamed fish. Sparingly drizzle everything with the seasoned soy sauce and sesame oil.

STEAMED FISH WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Set up your steamer over high heat.
• Score the fish, gently making three to four cuts along the body of the fish on both sides, starting from the dorsal fin to the belly. The cuts should be deep enough that you can stuff them with some ginger and onions. Sprinkle the salt in the slits on both sides to help flavor the fish. Gently place half of the onions and ¼ cup of the ginger into the slits.
• In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine the soy sauce, wine, oil, and the remaining onions and ¼ cup ginger. Heat to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Keep the sauce over low heat while the fish steams.
• Place the fish in a steam-proof dish, such as a pie plate, that fits in your steamer. The dish should be deep enough to let the sauce pool at the bottom. Steam the fish for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. To check for doneness, turn off the heat. Carefully lift the lid of the steamer. Using the tip of a sharp knife, gently probe the flesh at the meatiest part of the fish. If it is opaque and flakes, then the fish is done steaming. If it looks underdone, then close the lid and steam over high heat for up to 5 minutes more.
• Remove the dish from the steamer and drizzle the soy sauce mixture over the fish. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice as a part of a meal.