Cantonese-Style Garlic Ginger Steamed Fish Fillets

Cantonese-Style Garlic Ginger Steamed Fish Fillets

This is the simplest way to get the heart of Cantonese home cooking onto the table: a delicate white fish, steamed just until it flakes, finished with hot oil poured over scallions and ginger. The sizzle at the end is the whole point. It is quick enough for a weeknight and elegant enough that nobody will guess how little work it took.

You need

• 1 pound (450 g) skin-on or skinless white fish fillets, such as cod, sea bass, or halibut, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh ginger, plus 2 tablespoons julienned ginger
• 3 scallions, whites cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, greens thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or peanut
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Steamed rice, to serve

Method

1. Pat the fish dry and set it on a heatproof plate that fits in your steamer. Rub with the kosher salt and rice wine, then scatter the sliced ginger and the scallion white pieces over and around the fish. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Set up a steamer over simmering water. Once the water is at a strong, steady simmer with steam rising, set the plate in, cover, and steam over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes [medium-high heat is fine if your steamer runs hot]. The fish is done when the thickest part flakes easily and is opaque all the way through, and an instant-read thermometer reads 140 F (60 C).
3. While the fish steams, stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar with 1 tablespoon of water until the sugar dissolves.
4. Carefully lift the plate out, tipping away from you so the steam doesn't burn your hands. Discard the ginger and scallion pieces left on the plate, then spoon the soy mixture evenly over the fish.
5. Scatter the julienned ginger and sliced scallion greens over the top.
6. Heat the neutral oil in a small pan over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke, about 1 to 2 minutes [around 375 F / 190 C]. Pour it slowly over the ginger and scallions. It should sizzle loudly.
7. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil and serve right away with steamed rice.