Whole steamed fish is traditionally served during Chinese New Year dinners because it represents a good year from start to finish.
Or, in this case, from head to tail.
The fish also represents prosperity, because, in Chinese, the pronunciation of fish is "Yú" which kinda sounds like the word surplus or abundance.
So in today's video, I've partnered with Pearl River Bridge sauces to show you how to make a traditional yet simple steamed fish recipe that you guys can cook in 20 minutes or less.
So, with that, let's get started.
For the ingredients, we'll need one whole fish, and I recommend using a white fish like tilapia or snapper.
Today I'm using a Red Tai Snapper.
When shopping for fish, try and buy them fresh versus previously frozen.
Fresh fish will have a much better texture when cooked.
I always find that the frozen ones turn out a bit mushy.
We will also need the three staple Asian garnishes--ginger, green onions, and cilantro.
Now for the ginger and green onions, go ahead and prep them by cutting half into larger pieces and the remaining half into matchstick slivers.
When you're done, you should have a full garnish plate that looks like this.
Once you have the garnish plate ready, now it's time to clean and prep your fish.
I find that the easiest thing to do is to ask your seafood department to clean and gut the fish, making sure to leave the head, tail, and fins on but also removing the scales.
Then, when you're ready to cook, just give the fish one more rinse under cold water and prepare a plate for steaming.
Take a few pieces of the larger ginger and green onions, and arrange them on a plate before placing the fish on top.
I like to do this because it lifts the fish off the steaming plate and it makes it easier to transfer to a serving platter.
Next, add some more larger pieces of ginger and green onion into the inside belly of the fish.
And be generous, because the ginger will help neutralize any fishy flavors.
We're ready to steam.
Now if you don't have a steamer, you can always use a large pot or a wok.
And if you don't have a steaming insert, just take some aluminum foil, scrunch it up, and shape it into a circle.
This will help lift the plate off the bottom of the pan.
Then, go ahead, cover with a lid and steam for 15 to 18 minutes.
Now while you're waiting for the fish to cook, and when it's almost done, you can go ahead and prepare the sauce.
I'm using three tablespoons of canola oil, a quarter cup of Pearl River Bridge brand of seasoned soy sauce for seafood, and a teaspoon of cane sugar.
Now if you're wondering what seasoned soy sauce for seafood is, it's basically a little less salty and a little bit sweeter than normal soy sauce.
And, you can use this for any type of seafood stirfry and it's not just limited to fish.
Add all those ingredients to a pan, along with some ginger, green onions, and cilantro.
Stir and infuse the flavors for one to two minutes on a medium-low heat.
Now going back to the fish, remove and transfer to a large serving platter, topping it with the remaining fresh garnish.
Then, making sure your sauce is very hot and simmering, pour the mixture directly over the garnish.
The hot mixture will help release some of the extra flavor in the fresh garnish.
We're done!
Now if you're making this for Chinese New Year, make sure the fish makes it to the dinner table whole.
Then, once everybody's had a chance to gather and view the beautiful presentation, you can always remove the fish bones later.
And if you have guests who may be a little bit squeamish looking at a whole fish, you could always take a little bit of garnish and strategically place it on top of the fish head.
I'm Angel, I hope you guys enjoyed this video.
Don't forget to like and subscribe to my channel Angel Wong's Kitchen for more authentic Asian recipes made simple and fun.
Until then, I'll see you guys soon. Bye!