Cooking Ah Pa

Lan Jie Steamed Fish Part 2 兰姐蒸鱼

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Dificulty: Easy

Tag: Fish

INGREDIENTS

500 grams snapper (cleaned)

2 tablespoons ginger (minced)

2 tablespoons garlic (minced)

2 pieces red chilli padi (optional)

1 piece big red chilli (for garnish)

1 green onion (minced)

1 cup chicken stock

1 ½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1-2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Ginger (optional)

Oil

 Salt, sugar (for seasoning)

STEPS

1. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that is both large enough to accommodate it and will also fit inside your steamer. Insert a few slices of ginger under the fish and place the plate with the fish in the steamer (make sure water is boiling). Close the lid and steam for about 8 minutes under medium-high heat.

2. While the fish is steaming, heat a pan with a little oil and saute ginger, garlic and red chilli padi for a couple of minutes. Add half of a green onion and half a big red chilli. Pour the chicken stock into the pan followed by oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine before stirring again. Add salt and sugar for seasoning and let it boil. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat.

TIPS: Different dark soy sauces have different colours (some are darker). Choose a colour you prefer. Add more dark soy sauce if it’s not dark enough. 

3. Open the steamer and check if the fish is fully cooked. Once cooked, move the fish to a different plate (discard the fish juice remaining on the plate). Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with a sprinkle of big red chillies and green onion. You may add more chilli padi if you like it spicy. Serve immediately.

TIPS: Use chopsticks or a sharp object to check if the fish is cooked. Poke a chopstick into the thickest part of the fish. If the chopstick goes in smoothly it indicates that the fish is fully cooked. However, if it doesn't then it means that the fish needs another 2-3 minutes to cook. Make sure your fish is fully defrosted before cooking.