Chinese-Style Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger and Scallions

Name: Chinese-Style Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger and Scallions
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Sesame Oil (1 tablespoon sesame oil); ¼ cup Soy Sauce (1/4 cup soy sauce); 2 tsp Granulated Sugar (2 teaspoons sugar); 1 piece Hot Pepper (1 hot chili, thinly sliced, optional) — optional; 1 piece Branzino (1 whole fish, such as Branzino, about 1-1.5 lbs); 0 pieces Kosher Salt (kosher salt and pepper); 7 pieces Scallion (6 scallions, greens part only, cut into 2-inch lengths + 1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias); 2 pieces Ginger (one 3-inch piece ginger, sliced crosswise into coins + one 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned); 1 handful Cilantro (a few small handfuls of cilantro + small handful of cilantro, finely chopped); 2 tbsp Sake (2 tablespoons sake); 2 tbsp Olive Oil (2 tablespoons olive oil (or macadamia nut oil, if you can find it))

A whole branzino is seasoned, stuffed with aromatics, and steamed. It is then topped with a hot, sizzling sauce of sesame oil, soy sauce, and fresh garnishes.

30 minChinese

Servings2

Add to grocery list

Plan it in the app to put it on your week.

Dairy Free
Pescatarian
Halal

Ingredients

For 2 servings

Sesame Oil1 tbsp · 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Soy Sauce¼ cup · 1/4 cup soy sauce
Granulated Sugar2 tsp · 2 teaspoons sugar
Hot Pepper1 piece · 1 hot chili, thinly sliced, optional · optional
Branzino1 piece · 1 whole fish, such as Branzino, about 1-1.5 lbs
Kosher Salt0 pieces · kosher salt and pepper
Scallion7 pieces · 6 scallions, greens part only, cut into 2-inch lengths + 1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias
Ginger2 pieces · one 3-inch piece ginger, sliced crosswise into coins + one 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned
Cilantro1 handful · a few small handfuls of cilantro + small handful of cilantro, finely chopped
Sake2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons sake
Olive Oil2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons olive oil (or macadamia nut oil, if you can find it)

Make it mine in the app

Steps

1Make the sauce
2In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and chili, if using. Set aside.
3Prepare the fish
4Using a paring knife or chef’s knife, cut three or four 1-inch slits on each side of the fish through the skin to the bone. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season generously all over, inside and out, with salt and pepper to taste. Insert 1 piece of scallion and 1 coin of ginger in each slit. Stuff the fish with half of the remaining scallions and ginger. Stuff some cilantro into the cavity of the fish, too.
5Prepare the steamer bed
6Lay the remaining cilantro, scallions and ginger on top of a steamer basket — I use a cooling rack. Place the fish on the bed of aromatics.
7Steam the fish
8In a large wide pot, such as a wok with a lid, bring 2 inches of water to a boil over high heat. Carefully set the steamer basket inside. Pour the sake over the fish. Cover the pan. Reduce heat to medium or low, keeping the water at a simmer. Steam for 9-10 minutes (see notes above), until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes. Transfer the fish to a platter. Discard the aromatics.
9Finish the dish
10Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over high heat until it starts to fizzle. Pour the oil over the fish. Return pan to burner and pour in the soy sauce mixture. Heat the sauce until it bubbles up — this will happen nearly instantaneously. Pour the sauce over the fish. Scatter the scallions, ginger, and cilantro over top. Serve with bowls of steamed rice.