Steamed Fish with Soy and Ginger
Why this recipe works
- Gentle steaming: Steaming keeps the fish moist and delicate while allowing its natural flavour to stay central.
- Aromatic finish: Ginger, spring onion, coriander, soy and Shaoxing wine build savoury depth without needing a heavy sauce.
- Fast cooking: Thin white fish fillets steam quickly, making this a practical dinner with very little active cooking.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Serve immediately: The dish is at its best as soon as the hot oil is poured over the herbs, while the fish is still tender and the aromatics are fresh.
- Prepare aromatics first: Slice the ginger and spring onions before steaming so the dressing and hot oil can be added as soon as the fish is cooked.
Texture tips
- Check the thickest part: Remove the fish when it has turned opaque and flakes easily at the thickest point; oversteaming can make delicate fillets dry.
- Use an even fillet: Choose fish of similar thickness throughout, or tuck a thinner end underneath so it cooks at the same pace.
Ingredient notes
- Best fish to use: Mild white fish works well here because it absorbs the soy, ginger and herb aromas without competing with them.
- Shaoxing wine: Shaoxing cooking wine adds a gentle fermented fragrance that is typical of many Chinese steamed fish preparations.
- Light soy matters: Light soy sauce seasons the fish cleanly; darker soy can make the dressing heavier and more dominant.
Serving ideas
- Serve with rice: Steamed rice is the natural pairing, soaking up the soy, ginger and hot oil dressing from the plate.
- Add greens: Simple steamed or stir-fried greens make a good contrast to the soft fish and savoury dressing.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Set up a steamer over a saucepan of simmering water and bring a kettle of water to the boil to top up if needed. Peel the ginger, then cut most of it into fine matchsticks and set aside; finely grate the remaining ginger into a small bowl. Trim the spring onions and slice them into fine shreds; roughly chop the coriander.
- Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer. Sprinkle with the salt and drizzle over the shaoxing cooking wine. Scatter half the matchstick ginger over the fish.
- Steam the fish over medium heat until just cooked and flaky, 6 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. It should turn opaque and flake easily at the thickest part. Carefully remove the plate from the steamer.
- In the bowl with grated ginger, stir together the light soy sauce and caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Spoon this dressing over the hot fish. Scatter over the spring onions, coriander, and the remaining matchstick ginger.
- Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan until shimmering hot, about 30 to 60 seconds. Immediately pour the hot oil over the spring onions and herbs to release their aroma. Serve straight away, spooning any extra soy dressing from the plate over the fish.
Recipe notes
Serving suggestions
This recipe pairs well with:
Tips
- Choose a fillet of even thickness so it steams at the same rate; if one end is much thinner, tuck it under to even it out.
- Do not let the steamer run dry; top up with boiling water from the kettle if the water level drops.
- If serving vulnerable groups, use fish that is cooked until fully opaque and flakes easily at the thickest point.
Substitutions
- Replace Peanut oil with Sesame oil for a more pronounced toasted aroma.
- Replace Shaoxing Cooking Wine with Dry sherry for a similar fragrance.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, cool quickly and refrigerate; reheat gently by steaming for 2 to 4 minutes until piping hot, or eat cold as flakes mixed with the dressing.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 25min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Chinese
-
Allergens:
Fish Peanuts Soybeans
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