Simple and tasty and takes only 8 minutes to steam this Barramundi fish fillet.



 

Chinese steamed fish.

If you are born and bred or grew up in Asian countries, there might be the slightest chance that you may have tasted steamed fish, either at home or in Chinese restaurants.

This Chinese cuisine, steamed fish may seem do-able and easy but if you over-cooked or over-steamed, the fish might turn out to be tough.
Yes, I have done that before.

There are many recipes for steaming fish on the net, however, this steamed fish recipe was passed on by my late mother-in-law.

Simple dish but very satisfying and has become one of our favorite recipes.

Fresh ingredients for steaming fish.

A list of ingredients and methods can be found in the recipe card below.

However, I will take you through the process of How to steam fish with photos.

1) ingredients for steaming fish in Chinese style.

a) Preserved lemons

Slice preserved lemon thinly.
Refer to my post on How to make preserved lemons.

My late mother-in-law used preserved prunes.

Preserved prunes are more salty than sour.

b) Tomatoes

Add tomato slices to add some sweetness to the steamed fish dish.

c) Spring onion.

Add cut-up spring onions (green onion).

d) Light soy sauce.

A dash of light soy sauce is sufficient.
Remember preserved lemons are salty!

No salt is needed in steaming the fish.

e) Garlic oil.

I love to add crispy garlic in oil.

How to make garlic oil?

Garlic oil is easy to make.

Add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a hot pan.
Add chopped garlic to the hot oil and fry till golden in color.

Keep an eye on the garlic as they are easily burned!
Transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Set aside.

f) Fish

The type of fish has been discussed above under the topic of "What types of fish are best for steaming?"

A few words of advice, always buy fresh fish (ask for your fishmonger friend, he is the best person to advise you on the freshness of the fish).

If you are using fish fillets, the thickness of the fillet matters!
The thicker the fillets, the longer it takes to cook and you might be overcooking the fish.

How to steam Chinese steamed Fish?

1) Score the fish fillet with a sharp knife (mine was not very sharp!!)

Insert slices of preserved lemons in between the slits.


Rub both sides of the fish fillets with preserved lemons.

2) Heat-proof plate

Arrange sliced tomatoes on the heat-proof plate, followed by preserved lemon slices.

3) Drizzle 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce on one side.

Place fish with skin side up on the plate.

4) Add green onion or spring onion to the fish.


5) Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of white pepper onto the fish.

Shall I use a steamer or wok to steam the fish?

This is very much a personal preference.


I like to use a large wok and fill it up with approximately 2 to 3 inches of water.

Bring to a rapid boil.
Place a steaming rack on the wok, with high heat, carefully place the fish on top of the rack.


Cover the wok and cook for 8-10 minutes.
If you are using whole fish, add a few more minutes.

The best way is to check doneness by using a skewer.

If the skewer is easy to push through then the fish is ready to be served.

Remove fish from steamer.

Drizzle the hot piping fish with some garlic oil.


Serve the fish immediately with steamed white rice.

Why not make this simple recipe to celebrate Chinese New Year on the 10th of February 2024?

FAQ

1) What types of fish are best for steaming?

I highly recommend using white flesh fish, like barramundi, sea bass, sea bream, or red snapper.

2) Which is best, to steam whole fish or fillets?

I much prefer to use white fish fillet for cooking at home.

Fish fillets are manageable, have fewer bones to be found, and are easy to cook through.

Using whole fish. may require more cooking time, and the chances that the fish might be overcooked are higher.

If you dine in restaurants, you can order fresh whole fish to be steamed, usually whole barramundi is often used.

3) Can I use ginger oil instead of garlic oil?

You can use ginger oil.
Ginger oil and garlic oil are staples in my house and I use them interchangeably in my steamed fish.

4) How to keep any leftover steamed fish?

You can keep leftover steamed fish in an air-tight container and keep them in the fridge.
But reheating steamed fish will make the skin rubbery and tough.
Best discard the skin.

Video on How to cook Chinese Steamed Fish.