Chinese Ginger-Soy Steamed Fish Recipe

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4 servings

74 ratings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
348	Calories
22g	Fat
3g	Carbs
33g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	348
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g	28%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 70mg	23%
Sodium 632mg	27%
Total Carbohydrate 3g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Protein 33g
Calcium 42mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Chinese ginger-soy steamed fish comes from cookbook author Farina Kingsley with permission of Aimee Bianca, YC Media. Kingsley says steaming is a popular Cantonese culinary technique that produces delicious, healthy, and moist foods. It is an especially great way to cook fish.

If you don't have a wok, don't fret; you can steam the fish on a rack in a deep pan that has a lid or in a lidded steamer basket.

This steaming technique can be applied to whole fish, not just to fillets as done here. Some dishes, like Chinese pot stickers or dumplings, use a combination of cooking techniques—steaming and pan-frying.

This recipe's sauce uses both light and dark soy sauces.

For the Fish:
4 (6-ounce) sea bass or halibut fillets
1/4 cup green onions (white parts only, finely sliced on the bias)
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons canola oil
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons fresh ginger (sliced into fine slivers)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this ginger-soy steamed fish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for cooking.

Prepare the Steamer

Place a steaming rack in a wok or a deep pan and fill the pan with 2 inches of water. The water level should be below the steaming rack.

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Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

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Make the Sauce

Gather the ingredients.

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In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, garlic, 3 tablespoons canola oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, and white pepper.

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Prepare the Fish

Gather the ingredients.

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Place the fish fillets on a heatproof plate suitable for steaming and large enough to hold the fillets in a single layer. Spoon some of the sauce evenly over the fish fillets.

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Place the plate of fish on the steaming rack, cover tightly, and steam the fish over high heat for 7 to 10 minutes per inch thickness of fish.

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Carefully remove the plate from the steamer and transfer the fillets to a warmed platter and spoon the rest of the sauce over the fish.

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Serve the Fish

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a small pan until near smoking.

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Place the green onions and cilantro on top of the fish fillets, and carefully drizzle the hot oil over the fish.

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Serve immediately.