Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish Recipe

Introduction

Cantonese-style steamed fish is a delicate and fragrant dish that highlights the fresh flavors of ginger, scallions, and cilantro. This light, healthy recipe is perfect for home cooks looking to enjoy authentic Chinese flavors with simple ingredients and minimal effort.

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated from larger stems
• 1 (1½-inch) knob fresh young ginger (about 1 ounce), scrubbed
• 6 whole scallions, ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 whole white-fleshed fish, cleaned and gutted, about 1½ to 2½ pounds (or 1 to 1½ pounds lean white fish fillets)
• Salt
• 1 small hot, fresh red pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola

Instructions

1. Step 1: Fill a salad spinner with very cold water and add the cilantro leaves and tender stems. Rinse the larger cilantro stems and scatter them on a plate large enough to fit your fish.
2. Step 2: Trim the skin and small knobs off the ginger, scattering the trimmings over the cilantro stems on the plate. Peel the ginger, then cut it lengthwise into the thinnest planks possible. Slice the planks into very thin slivers and transfer them to the salad spinner.
3. Step 3: Roughly split the scallions where the light green parts become dark green. Add the dark green ends to the plate.
4. Step 4: Cut the scallion whites and light greens crosswise into rough 2-inch segments, then split each segment in half lengthwise. Lay each half cut side down and slice lengthwise into thin slivers. Add these to the salad spinner as well.
5. Step 5: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir until the sugar mostly dissolves and set the sauce aside.
6. Step 6: Place a steaming rack or a few clean, empty tuna cans (with tops and bottoms removed) in a large, deep pan or wok. Add enough water to reach just below the rack and bring to a boil over high heat.
7. Step 7: Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. If it weighs 2 pounds or more, make a couple of deep slashes perpendicular to the spine for even cooking. Lightly salt the fish and stuff some aromatics from the plate into the cavity if using whole fish. Place the fish on the pile of aromatics, arranging fillets if needed to fit.
8. Step 8: Transfer the plate to the steamer, cover, and steam the fish until the thickest part flakes easily or shows little resistance when poked—about 7 to 10 minutes for flat fish and thin fillets, and 9 to 12 minutes for round fish.
9. Step 9: Using a thin spatula, carefully transfer the fish to a serving platter. Alternatively, serve directly on the steaming plate after draining excess liquid by tilting the plate over the sink while holding the fish down gently. Pour the prepared sauce over the hot fish.
10. Step 10: Drain and spin the aromatics in the salad spinner to form a tangled nest. Spread half over the fish and sprinkle with sliced chili if using. Heat the oil until it shimmers and just begins to smoke, then pour it carefully over the aromatics to create a sizzling effect. Top with remaining fresh aromatics and serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

• Use the thinnest ginger and scallion slices possible for the best texture and flavor infusion.
• If Shaoxing wine is not available, dry sherry makes an excellent substitute.
• For a milder version, omit the chili or reduce the amount according to your preference.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Storage

Store leftover steamed fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a microwave or a steamer to avoid drying out the fish. Avoid reheating more than once for the best texture and flavor.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen fish for this recipe?

Fresh fish is preferred for the best taste and texture, but you can use properly thawed frozen fish as well. Make sure it is fully thawed and patted dry before steaming.

What kind of fish is best for Cantonese steamed fish?

White-fleshed fish like sea bass, snapper, pomfret, or halibut are ideal because they have a mild flavor and firm texture that steams well.

Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish Recipe

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This Cantonese-Style Steamed Fish recipe features a whole white-fleshed fish or fillets delicately steamed over aromatics like cilantro, ginger, and scallions, then dressed with a savory soy-sherry sauce and sizzling hot oil poured over fresh herbs and chili for an authentic, flavorful Chinese dish. Perfectly moist and tender with vibrant fragrant notes, it’s an elegant yet simple preparation highlighting traditional Chinese steaming techniques.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Cantonese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Aromatics

• 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems separated from larger stems
• 1 (1½-inch) knob fresh young ginger (about 1 ounce), scrubbed
• 6 whole scallions, ends trimmed
• 1 small hot fresh red pepper, such as Fresno or Thai bird’s-eye, thinly sliced (optional)

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Fish and Cooking

• 1 whole white-fleshed fish, cleaned and gutted, about 1½ to 2½ pounds (or 1 to 1½ pounds lean white fish fillets)
• Salt, to taste
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola

Instructions

1. Prepare aromatics: Fill a salad spinner with very cold water, add cilantro leaves and tender stems to rinse. Rinse larger cilantro stems separately and scatter them on a plate large enough to fit the fish. Trim ginger skin and small knobs, scatter trimmings over the cilantro stems. Peel ginger and cut into the thinnest possible slivers, then place in the salad spinner. Split scallions at the green transition, add dark green parts to the plate, and cut whites and light green parts into 2-inch segments, splitting lengthwise and slicing into thin slivers to add to salad spinner.
2. Make sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and 1 tablespoon water until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. Prepare steaming setup: Place a steaming rack or a few clean, empty tuna cans (tops and bottoms removed) in a wide, deep lidded pan or wok. Add water to reach just below the top of the rack and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Prepare fish: Rinse whole fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. For fish 2 pounds or larger, slash deeply perpendicular to the spine a couple times for even cooking. Lightly salt the fish, stuff some aromatics from the plate into the cavity if whole fish. Arrange fish on cilantro and scallion stems; layer fillets if needed.
5. Steam fish: Transfer plate with fish to steamer, cover, and steam until flesh near the thickest part flakes easily with little resistance—about 7 to 10 minutes for flat fish and thin fillets; 9 to 12 minutes for round fish.
6. Transfer fish to serving platter: Using a thin spatula or two, carefully lift fish to a serving platter, or serve directly on steaming plate after draining liquid by gently tilting over sink while holding fish down with spatula.
7. Add sauce and aromatics: Pour sauce mixture over hot fish. Drain and spin aromatics from salad spinner into a nest, spreading half over fish. Sprinkle sliced chili if using.
8. Heat oil and finish dish: Heat neutral oil in a small skillet until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully spoon or pour hot oil over aromatics—expect sputtering and sizzling. Top with remaining fresh aromatics and serve immediately.

Notes

• Use a fresh young ginger knob for the best delicate ginger flavor.
• If using fillets instead of whole fish, adjust steaming time accordingly and skip cavity aromatics and slashing.
• Be careful pouring hot oil over aromatics to prevent splattering burns.
• Serving fish on the steaming plate is traditional but ensure liquid is drained well to avoid sogginess.
• Substitute Shaoxing wine with dry sherry if unavailable.
• Fish should be very fresh for best taste and texture.

Keywords: steamed fish, Cantonese steamed fish, Chinese fish recipe, healthy fish recipe, ginger scallion fish