Chinese Steamed Whole Fish Food

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!

CHINESE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Cut half of the scallion and ginger into small sections.
• For decoration: shred scallion with a fork and then soak them in cold water.
• Clean the fish completely and peel off any black skins in the stomach of the fish. Drain completely.
• Watch the body shape if your fish. If it gets a thick back, cut a line and separate the back into two parts. Or if it gets thick stomach, cut 2 lines on the thickest meat, so the meat can be cooked in a shorter time and be kept as tender as possible. (Optional for fresh water fish only), spread a very thin layer of salt on the surface and stomach of the fish. Place scallion and ginger inside of the fish.
• Place two scoops on the plates, or two sections of chopsticks and then place the fish in.
• Bring enough water to a boiling in a large pot and place the fish in after the water boils. Start the count the time, steam 5 minutes and stand for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer the fish to a clean plate, discard the scallion and ginger and place the newly cut scallions. Heat around 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until almost smoky and pour the oil evenly on the scallion shreds.
• Heat the seasoned soy sauce until warm and pour evenly on the plate. If your soy sauce is cold, pour them on the two sides of the fish, not over the fish.
• Serve hot and should be finished within 10 minutes.

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.

WHOLE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Score the skin on the fish. Place some ginger and scallions inside the cavity, the rest on the skin. Put fish in a steamer lined with cabbage leaves. Steam for 10 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of soy sauce over fish, followed by hot peanut oil.
• OTHER STUFF: Warm Shaoxing to drink Mao Tai to drink Red and white wine Jasmine tea

STEAMED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fish under cold running water, pat dry, and place on a lightly oiled, heatproof platter that will fit in your steamer or a large roasting pan. Cut 3 deep diagonal gashes along each side of the fish, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. Sprinkle the inside cavity and outside of the fish with the salt, squeeze the lemon juice over the fish, drizzle with sesame oil, then stuff the slivered ginger and chopped garlic into the gashes. Scatter the scallions over the fish, and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Fill the steamer or roasting pan with water to within an inch of the steamer rack, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the ginger chunks to the water. Place platter with fish on steaming rack, cover, and steam over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (plan on 10 minutes for each 1inch of thickness at its widest point).
• About 5 minutes before the fish is done, heat the peanut oil and the sesame oil in a small saucepan until hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar.
• Test fish for doneness by poking with a fork or chopsticks. The fish meat should flake easily at its thickest part. Remove from the steamer, pour the hot oil mixture over the fish, and serve immediately.

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.

CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Arrange 1/2 of the green onions on the bottom of the steaming bowl (it is important to steam in a container in order to retain the steam and juices around the fish). Place 1/2 of the mushrooms and Napa cabbage sections on top of the onions. Place fish on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes over fish. Top with the remaining green onions, mushrooms, and napa cabbage. Drizzle soy sauce and water over everything.
• Place steam bowl in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

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.

#1 FAVORITE CHINESE STEAMED WHOLE FISH BY SY

Steps:

• Clean and scale the fish and remove the insides, however, leave the head and tail on.
• Rinse under cold water and then pat dry.
• Place the fish in an oblong oven proof/microwave proof dish and add a little rice wine to both sides.
• After 5 minutes, remove the wine.
• Place two whole scallions under the fish to prop the fish up, which will allow steam to flow underneath.
• STEAMING THE FISH: Place water in a large wok and using a flat round trivet on top of the wok, bring water to a boil.
• Place the fish plate on the trivet and cover.
• Steam the fish for about 10-15 minutes, use a fork to poke the flesh of the fish to see that it is done (It should be white and not translucent, don't overcook).
• Remove the fish plate from the wok, pour off the cloudy liquid, discard the scallions and then place the plate in the kitchen sink.
• (Why? Cause when you pour hot oil over the fish, it will splatter all over).
• As an alternative for steaming, put plastic wrap over the fish plate and then into the microwave oven.
• Microwave on high for about 5-6 minutes; check for doneness as noted above, and pour off the cloudy liquid and discard the scallions.
• Sprinkle the fish with pepper& salt.
• Spread over the fish the scallions and ginger strips.
• In a small frying pan add the peanut& sesame oil and heat just to smoking.
• Then pour smoking oil over the fish, be careful with the oil splattering.
• Next add the soya sauce.
• Serve hot with white rice and chinese vegetables toped with oyster sauce!