Chinese Style Steamed 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!

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!

ASIAN STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Arrange 4 fillets in a single layer in a glass or enamel pie plate. Top with half each of the scallions and ginger, then lay the remaining 4 fillets on top to make 4 sandwiches. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and refrigerate until ready to cook, or up to 30 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the refrigerator. Fill a wok or large Dutch oven with 2 to 3 inches of water; bring to a boil. Put a large steamer in the wok (the water should not touch the bottom of the steamer). Set the pie plate in the steamer, cover and steam until the fish is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and drizzle with any collected juices.
• Heat the peanut oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining ginger, the garlic, jalapeno, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and remove from the heat. Slice the remaining scallions into matchsticks and scatter over the fish along with the bell pepper. Pour the ginger mixture on top. Serve with rice.

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 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.

CHINESE STYLE STEAMED FISH

Steps:

• Place small cake rack in large (12-inch-diameter) skillet; place 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish on rack. Put fish in dish; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle wine, ginger and garlic in dish around fish. Top fish with soy sauce, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Pour enough water into skillet to reach depth of 1 inch. Bring water to boil. Cover skillet; steam fish until just opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer fish to plates; top with juices from dish and remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro.

CHINESE STEAMED FISH IN SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse and drain fish. Score the skin at 1/2 inch intervals on both sides.
• Place the fish on a large plate, and sprinkle with salt inside and out.
• Place the fish in a steamer basket and place in a wok, or use a regular Western steamer pot.
• Sprinkle the fish evenly with the ginger slices, then cover with a lid.
• Steam the fish on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix soy sauce and vinegar.
• When the fish is flaky and cooked, place it on a serving plate.
• Pour sauce over fish.
• Toss out any water from the wok, and add oil and green onions.
• Saute quickly over a hot flame until onions are a bit tender, then pour sizzling oil and onions over fish.
• Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) and serve.