Today, I want to focus on how to prepare a perfect Cantonese steamed fish.

Chinese love to eat steamed fish. I grew up in a Cantonese family and have tried various ways of steaming fish at home and in Chinese restaurants. It is a simple method of preparation that emphasizes the freshness of the fish. However, you need to follow a few key steps to perfect it. This is because even in Chinese restaurants, the fish is sometimes overcooked, and the result is less than ideal. In this article, I will focus on preparing steamed fish and briefly explain how to make the Cantonese-style steamed fish sauce served with it.

So, let’s dive into how to prepare Cantonese steamed fish.

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Ingredients Required to Steam the Fish

• Fish. Cantonese steamed fish emphasizes freshness. When you go to a Cantonese restaurant, you can request the chef to take the fish directly from the tank, which is often on display in seafood restaurants. We don’t have this luxury at home, so always ask your fishmonger for the freshest fish available. The most common fishes we use (in Malaysia) for steamed fish are marble goby (笋壳鱼 soon hock), grouper 石斑魚, tilapia 非洲鱼/罗非鱼 and seabass 石甲/鲈鱼. If fresh fish is not possible, you may have to settle with frozen fish, although it’s not ideal. Alternatively, you may use fish fillets for convenience, but this is not the traditional way to prepare Cantonese steamed fish.
• Sauce. You’ll also need to prepare the Cantonese-style steamed fish sauce. You can refer to the article I uploaded earlier for a detailed explanation. However, I’ll provide a simplified sauce version specifically for this recipe in the following section. Lastly, if you’re short on time or prefer an easier method, buy bottled Chinese steamed fish soy sauce at your nearby Asian market.
• Ginger and scallions. Besides the sauce, you only need julienned young ginger and scallions (green onion, spring onion). That’s all the ingredients required. Simple, isn’t it?

Prepare the Fish for Steaming

I always ask my fishmonger to gut the fish and remove the scales, even though I could do it myself. It saves a lot of time and avoids a messy cleanup at home.

Preparation

1. Assuming your fishmonger has already gutted and removed the scale, you still need to wash the fish thoroughly at home before steaming. Removing all debris and any traces of blood from the cavity is important, as these can cause an unpleasant fishy odor if not cleaned properly.

2. You also have the option to trim off the fins and part of the tail, although most Chinese prefer to steam the fish with the fish head and others intact for better presentation.

3. There is an optional step if your fish is not the freshest: Boil some water and pour it over the fish several times. This helps remove any fishy odor and tightens the skin, which helps prevent it from falling apart during steaming. I usually skip this step because I buy the freshest fish I can find, making this step unnecessary.

4. Now, place the fish on an oval-shaped stainless steel plate because it conducts heat well and is ideal for steaming. The oval shape matches the shape of most whole fish to fit it nicely.

5. Before placing the fish on the plate, cut a few short sections of scallion and lay them lengthwise. I prefer using the white part of the scallion because it is firmer and better supports the fish. Then, place the fish on top of the scallion sections. This creates a small gap between the fish and the plate, allowing steam to circulate underneath and ensuring even cooking. Alternatively, you can use a metal spoon or two chopsticks placed under the fish for the same result.

6. Place the plate with the fish into a steamer. Steam the fish over high heat for 8 to 12 minutes with the lid on. Timing is essential, and I’ll explain how to determine the exact steaming duration in the next section.

7. Once steaming is complete, remove the fish from the steamer. Pour away the cloudy liquid that collects on the plate as it has a strong fishy smell.

8. Transfer the fish to a clean serving plate. Pour the soy sauce mixture (recipe below) on the fish. Top the fish generously with julienned ginger and scallions.

9. Heat a large tablespoon of peanut or corn oil until it’s hot, almost to the smoking point. Then, immediately pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallions. The hot oil will slightly cook them and release their aromatic flavor,

Now, the perfect Cantonese-style steamed fish is ready to serve.

A Simple Steamed Fish Sauce to Make on the Fly

If you have the time, I highly recommend making the steamed fish sauce (seasoned soy sauce) in advance. But if you’re looking for something quick and easy for this steamed fish recipe, here is a simpler version you can prepare on the fly:

1. First, cut two stalks of scallion into two-inch sections and thinly slice one thumb-sized piece of ginger. Then, sauté them in a tablespoon of oil until fragrant.
2. Next, add two tablespoons of good-quality light soy sauce, a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine, and 1/4 cup of water, and let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the volume is reduced by half. After that, strain to remove all the solids.
3. Finally, add some sesame oil and a pinch of ground white pepper. The quick and easy Cantonese-style steamed fish sauce is ready. Enjoy this classic Cantonese dish. 

How to Ensure That the Steamed Fish is Properly Cooked

One of the main challenges in preparing steamed fish is ensuring it is just cooked but not overcooked. This is one of the easiest things to get wrong. Even in restaurants, chefs sometimes fail to get it right. It all depends on the size of the fish and how hot the steamer is. It takes a bit of experience to get it done perfectly. However, you can follow a few guidelines to get it done. Here are the tips:

1. Steam the fish over high heat, and make sure to place the fish into the steamer only when the water is already boiling rapidly.
   
2. The general steaming process is about 8 minutes for a small fish (around 500g/ one pound) and up to 12 minutes for a larger fish (over 1kg/ 2 pounds).
   
3. To test if the fish is cooked, insert a chopstick into the thickest part of the fish. The flesh should separate easily, and the color should be opaque, not translucent.
   
4. Take a look at the eye of the fish. When the fish is fully cooked, the eye should turn completely white and bulge slightly.
   
5. Lastly, you can use a kitchen thermometer if you are unsure about the doneness. Insert it into the thickest part of the fish. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C).
   

The Cookware and Crockery Required for Chinese Steamed Fish

1. In Chinese restaurants, chefs typically use large commercial steamers. However, at home, the most practical cookware for steaming fish is a large stainless steel wok with a lid. This is because whole fish can be too large to fit into a small steamer, so using a large wok is the most effective and convenient solution.
2. Use a stainless steel oval-shaped dish. If you’re using a ceramic plate or any other heat-proof plate, remember it doesn’t conduct heat like stainless steel, so you may need to add an extra minute to the steaming time.
3. You will also need a steaming rack to elevate the dish above the boiling water. If you don’t have one, you can place two parallel chopsticks inside the wok to support the plate.
4. Removing the hot plate from the steamer using a plate lifter is much easier. Consider getting one if you frequently steam food at home.