Best 3 Steamed Whole Fish Recipes

STEAMED WHOLE FISH WITH GINGER AND SESAME

Steps:

• Rinse fish with cold water, pat dry and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Place both fish on a heatproof platter or shallow baking dish. (Dish must be slightly smaller than inside dimensions of steamer.)
• Whisk together sweet wine, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chile bean paste and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Pour over fish and let marinate, turning once, for 30 minutes.
• Set up steamer with 3 inches of water in the bottom, then set rack 1 inch over water. Bring water to a rapid boil. Place fish, still on platter with marinade, on rack and cover with lid. (If using a bamboo steamer, cover top with a dish towel to retain steam.) Steam fish for 10 to 12 minutes, until just done. Flesh should look opaque, and there should be no pink at the bone when probed gently with a paring knife. Carefully remove platter from steamer.
• Meanwhile, place a skillet or wok over high heat and add vegetable oil. When oil looks hazy, add scallions and toss to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and stir-fry until slightly charred, about 2 minutes.
• To serve, scatter scallions over fish and top liberally with cilantro sprigs. (To make a tastier cilantro garnish, dress sprigs lightly with sesame oil and salt.) Using 2 forks, serve top fillet from carcass. Remove and discard skeleton to reveal lower fillet. Give each diner some fish, scallions and cilantro. Spoon pan juices over each serving.

STEAMED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fish under cold running water, pat dry, and place on a lightly oiled, heatproof platter that will fit in your steamer or a large roasting pan. Cut 3 deep diagonal gashes along each side of the fish, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. Sprinkle the inside cavity and outside of the fish with the salt, squeeze the lemon juice over the fish, drizzle with sesame oil, then stuff the slivered ginger and chopped garlic into the gashes. Scatter the scallions over the fish, and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Fill the steamer or roasting pan with water to within an inch of the steamer rack, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the ginger chunks to the water. Place platter with fish on steaming rack, cover, and steam over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (plan on 10 minutes for each 1inch of thickness at its widest point).
• About 5 minutes before the fish is done, heat the peanut oil and the sesame oil in a small saucepan until hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar.
• Test fish for doneness by poking with a fork or chopsticks. The fish meat should flake easily at its thickest part. Remove from the steamer, pour the hot oil mixture over the fish, and serve immediately.

STEAMED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Prepare fish: Fit a wire rack in the bottom of a large roasting pan (17 1/2 by 12 inches) and add about 1 inch of water (it should come just below the top of the rack). Place pan over two burners on stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, rinse fish well inside and out, scraping off any loose scales, and pat dry. Rest the fish on a shallow platter large enough to hold the fish. Tuck the cilantro, half of the lemongrass, and a third of the ginger inside the cavity. Scatter the remaining lemongrass and ginger along with the lime zest, garlic, and half of the scallion over the top of the fish and around the platter. Squeeze half of 1 lime over the fish and drizzle with fish sauce. (Reserve remaining scallion for garnish.)
• Steam fish: Set the platter on the rack in the pan and cover the pan tightly with parchment-lined foil. Steam over medium-high heat until the fish is cooked throughout, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness (25 minutes for a 2 1/2-inch-thick fish). Test by inserting a sharp knife into the flesh near the backbone; the flesh should be opaque and offer little resistance.
• Serve: Remove the foil and lift the platter from the pan, being careful not to spill the juices. Garnish with scallion and cilantro and serve immediately.