Qingzheng yu (清蒸鱼)
China
Fresh whole fish steamed to a tender texture and dressed with a fragrant sauce. The dish requires minimal culinary skill but delivers the bright flavors of Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients
- 1 pcs whole fish
- 2 pcs green onion
- 1 pcs ginger
- 1.5 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pcs dried chili
- 1 pinch whole Sichuan peppercorn
- 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
Steps
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Thoroughly wash the fish, pat dry with a paper towel, make several 45° slashes on each side, and place it on a steamer‑safe plate.
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Place one third of the sliced green onion and ginger into the cavity of the fish, and distribute the remaining portions under and over the fish.
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Insert the steamer rack (or a small bowl) into the center of the pot, add water below the rack level, and bring to a boil.
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Place the plate with the fish onto the rack, cover with a lid, and steam over high heat for 8 minutes (add 2 more minutes for larger fish if needed).
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Carefully remove the plate from the steamer using kitchen gloves and discard the cloudy liquid that has formed.
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Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over low heat, add dried chili and whole Sichuan peppercorn; when the oil begins to smoke, drizzle it over the fish (the spices can be removed if desired).
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Into the same pan, add light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar, and ground white pepper, bring to a gentle boil, and pour the resulting sauce over the fish.
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Serve the fish immediately with plain rice, remembering to dip the flesh into the sauce for better flavor.