Cantonese Steamed Seabass
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
The sea bass is steamed whole and comes to the table head to tail on one plate, and you pull the flakes away with chopsticks.
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The soy and sugar sauce is poured on lightly enough that the fish still tastes of itself, and smoking oil goes over a pile of shredded scallion at the end.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Score both sides of the 600 g seabass shallowly, then rub some julienned ginger and 1 tablespoon rice wine over the fish.
Rest it for 10 minutes, but do not cut so deeply that the knife hits the bone hard.
- 2
Bring the steamer water to a full boil before adding the fish, and set the fish on a heatproof plate.
Wait until strong steam is rising so the fish starts cooking immediately and tastes cleaner.
- 3
Cover and steam over high heat for 10-12 minutes.
The fish is done when the flesh turns opaque white and the scored cuts open slightly, showing moist flakes instead of translucent flesh.
- 4
If the fish is thick, steam 1-2 minutes longer; if it is thin, check it earlier.
Remove it as soon as it is cooked through, because oversteaming makes the flesh firm and less moist.
- 5
Mix 2 tablespoons light soy sauce with 1 teaspoon sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- 6
Spoon it evenly over the freshly steamed fish so the seasoning stays light and does not collect in one salty spot.
- 7
Pile the shredded scallion generously over the fish, then heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil until it just begins to smoke and pour it over the scallions.
- 8
When it sizzles, serve the fish immediately while warm and fragrant.
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