If you like to experiment in the kitchen, steamed fish is a fine choice. It is almost a blank slate for culinary creativity. This week You! collaborates with Chef Ming Hui of ‘Lotus Court Restaurant’, Movenpick, Karachi, who shares his yum recipe of Chinese Steamed Fish Grouper with Soya Sauce. Bon Appétit!
recipe
Ingredients
1 live fish 1.5 lb. or less
Ginger 2 inches (peeled and cut into thin strips)
Scallion 1 stalk (cut to 2-inch length into thin silken threads)
Some Cilantro leaves Cooking oil 2 tbs
Steamed Fish Soy Sauce Mixture:
Light Soya Sauce 4 tbs
Rice vinegar 2 tbs
Water 2 tbs
Sesame oil 1/4 tbs
White pepper 3 dashes
Rock sugar (grind into powder form or to taste) 2 tbs
Method
Clean the fish properly (remove scales, guts, gills, etc) and pat dry. Blend the soy sauce mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
Lay the fish on a plate and drizzle 1 tablespoon (rice vinegar) on top of the fish. Top the fish with 1/2 of the cut ginger strips.
Heat up a wok with enough water for steaming. Wait for the water to boil. As soon as it boils, place your fish inside the wok, propped up with a small inverted bowl or a couple of wooden blocks (meant for steaming). Cover your wok tightly and set your kitchen alarm for 8 minutes.
As soon as the fish is done steaming, transfer it out from the wok. Discard the fish water and ginger strips. Lay the remaining ginger strips on top of the fish.
Heat up a pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, swirl around until it’s hot. Pour the hot oil over the steamed fish. Put the pan back onto the stove, add the soy sauce mixture and stir well. As soon as the sauce bubbles up and boils, pour the soy sauce over the fish. Topped with scallions and cilantro leaves and serve the steamed fish immediately with white rice.