Chinese Steam Fish

by Aihui Ong (I We)

Information

Ingredients

1 lb whole fish or 2 fillets (1 inch thick)

Steam with Fish (A)
-------------------
4 stalks of scallion, chopped into 2 inches length
1 thumb size ginger - sliced thin, about 6 slices
1 small bunch cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine, e.g. Shaoxin wine
salt and pepper (white pepper preferred)
3 mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Sauce (B)
---------
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of white pepper
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Garnish (C)
-----------
2 stalks scallions
2 tablespoon cooking oil
1 thumb sized ginger, finely julienned into strips or roughly grated

Directions

1) Place a steaming stand a large wok. Use a inverted bowl if you don't have a steaming stand. Add water to wok to cover the stand. Heat wok to boil the water.

2) Season fish with pepper and salt.

3) Take 1/2 of the scallion, ginger and cilantro from (A) and place it on a plate. It's like creating a bed for the fish.

4) Place fish on top of the bed created in step (2)
5) Place the remaining scallion, ginger and cilantro on top of fish

6) Place sliced mushroom around fish

7) Drizzle Chinese cooking wine on top of fish

8) Add fish to wok of boiling water. Steam for about 8 - 10 minutes. At the 8th minute, poke fish with a fork. If the fork can poke through fish easily, then the fish is done. If not, let it steam for another 1-2 mins.

9) While the fish is steaming, thinly slice the scallions in (C). Julienne thinly by cutting it lengthwise. Then put them in a bowl of cold water. The cold water will curl the julienned scallions, creating a nice garnish. Soak it in cold water for a about 5 minutes.

10) When the fish is done cooking, take the fish out from the wok and remove all the water and ingredients that were steamed with the fish, except the mushrooms.

11) Put all ingredients in (B) in a microwavable bowl. Microwave the sauce for 30 seconds. Pour sauce over fish.

12) Remove curled scallions from the bowl of water. Add to fish as garnish.

13) Heat oil in (C). When it's super hot, add the ginger and let it cook for about 10 seconds. Spoon ginger and oil over fish. Serve immediately with steam rice.