Food

Cecilia Chiang’s Steamed Fish

Chinese Steamed Fish Image by Wikicommons

By Cecilia Chiang October 29, 2020

This recipe appeared in The Mandarin Way cookbook by Ceclia Chiang. To read Mark Eshman’s, “In the elevator with Mrs. Chiang,” click here.

Fish:
1 rock cod, carp, sea bass or red snapper, 2-3 pounds
5 scallion tops, 4 inches long
3 slices ginger root, 1/4 inch thick
garnish: 4 scallions, finely shredded, and fresh coriander

Sauce:
2 1/2 tablespoons cottonseed oil
3 drops sesame seed oil
3 or 4 drops light soy sauce
dash of Chinese cooking wine

Make incisions one-half inch apart on both sides of the fish (Lay the fish on a chopping block, holding the head firmly in a cloth since it is apt to slip, and with a Chinese cleaver make an incision about an inch below the gills, with the blade upright and parallel to the side of the fish. When the skin is penetrated, slice in a semicircular motion, across the width of the fish, with the blade angled slightly inwards. This makes a deep slash to the bone. Repeat the slashing at inch internals–there will be five or six–down the fish on both sides).

Arrange the scallions on a platter, and lay the fish on its side on top; stick the slices of ginger into the incision nearest the head.

Place the platter on a rack in a wok or roasting pan (having brought some water in the pan to a boil first). Cover, and steam for 17 to 18 minutes.

In the meantime, mix the cottonseed oil with the sesame seed oil, soy sauce and wine, and cook for two to three minutes to blend the flavors. When the fish is ready to be served, pour the sauce over it, and garnish with the scallions, shredded lengthwise, and some chopped coriander. The fish thus prepared has just sufficient seasoning to bring out, rather than mask, its delicacy, and in that respect is typical of the restraint of the northern Chinese cuisine.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO