This delicate ginger scallion steamed fish is my childhood comfort dish! It’s flavorful, flaky, and slightly sweet, with a kick from the ginger. It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is such a delicious, easy, and comforting restaurant-quality dish at home!
This is one of my favorite seafood dishes but if you're looking for other easy seafood recipes, you have to try my easy coconut shrimp and tinned fish ceviche!
What is ginger scallion steamed fish?
Ginger scallion steamed fish is essentially Cantonese steamed fish. This iconic fish dish is the fish dish that was served at almost every Chinese and Vietnamese wedding I went to growing up.
Cantonese steamed fish commonly uses a whole, fresh, flaky white fish and is gently steamed with ginger and scallions over boiling water until delicately tender. This recipe uses a filet of fish in place of a whole fish, making it quicker, easier, and ideal for steaming at home! The steaming process infuses those aromatics into the fish before the cooked fish is drizzled with a soy sauce marinade and finished with fresh aromatics and topped with sizzling hot oil.
Why you'll love this ginger scallion steamed fish
- Uses only a few core ingredients - Just a handful of aromatics and some pantry staples!
- Comes together in 20 minutes or less!
- High in protein from all the fish.
- Light and healthy from the steaming!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Rockfish: I'm using rockfish here but any flaky white fish like sea bass or cod will work too!
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is critical here.
- Scallions: The more the better, in my opinion! The whites and greens will be separated.
- Shaoxing wine: This Chinese rice wine adds an aromatic, earthy and slightly sweet depth to the sauce. Substitute with dry sherry if you don't have any on hand.
- Soy sauce: I use regular sodium soy sauce here, since it is the only salt we're adding!
- Sugar: Just a little bit to balance out the soy sauce.
- Neutral oil: Any high smoke point oil like avocado oil works.
- Water: For steaming the fish!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Flaky Ginger Scallion Steamed Fish
- Step 1: Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Separate the greens and the whites and julienne. Add the scallion greens to a bowl of cold water so they begin to curl and get springy.
- Step 2: To a heat-safe dish, spread ⅔ of the julienned scallion whites and ginger.
- Step 3: Pat the rockfish dry with paper towels. Slice it into smaller portions as needed to fit the heat-safe dish. Place the rockfish on the bed of scallion whites and ginger. Sprinkle the remaining scallion whites and ginger on top.
- Step 4: Prepare your steamer and fill the bottom with 2 inches of water. Bring it to a boil.
- Step 5: Carefully lower the heat-safe dish into the steamer and cover. Steam for 10-12 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 6: Turn off the steamer and remove the dish. Carefully drain the dish of any steaming liquid.
- Step 7: In a bowl, mix together Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Pour it over the steamed fish.
- Step 8: Drain the scallion greens and garnish the steamed fish with it. Heat neutral oil until it's shimmering and just starting to smoke and pour it over the scallion greens. Enjoy immediately with a bowl of fluffy jasmine rice.
Top tip
Don't salt the fish prior to steaming! Salt draws out moisture which will result in a firm and dry fish! The saltiness will come from the soy marinade we pour on it after. Avoid overcooking the fish as this will also cause it to become dry.
Substitutions and Variations
- Fish - This recipe is ideal with a flaky white fish but I have made this with steamed salmon and it has worked great too! It's not as flaky, but still delicious in flavor.
- Soy-free - Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce, add a little salt and omit the sugar for a soy-free marinade.
- Aromatics - Not traditional, but adding lemongrass to the bottom of the steaming dish will add a nice little twist to a traditional ginger scallion steamed fish!
- Cooking wine - No Shaoxing wine? Use dry sherry as a substitute.
FAQ
A bamboo or metal steamer works great here, but you don't need to go out and buy a steamer just for this recipe! Use a trivet or improvise by rolling up foil into a long thick log and bending it into a large coil. It should be sturdy but big enough to fit your heat-safe steaming plate.
The fish should look opaque and flake easily when you press it with a fork. The internal temperature should be 140F, with carryover cooking getting it to 145F.
Fish en papillote is a method of baking fish in parchment paper in the oven to achieve moist and tender fish and that can be applied here as well! Create a parchment paper pouch, add the aromatics and the fish, wrap it tightly and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature is 140F. Alternatively, use a baking dish and cover it with foil.
What to serve ginger scallion steamed fish with
- Jasmine rice - The classic pairing that can soak up all that delicious sauce. The fluffy rice adds a nice touch of comfort and delicateness too.
- Chinese broccoli - Blanched and drizzled with oyster sauce for some added greens.
- Garlic baby bok choy - Blanched or steamed and stir fried with garlic for a nice garlicky crunch.
- Congee - A delicious topping for a warm and comforting bowl of porridge. Plain congee would be best here.
Other recipes to try:
- Tinned Tuna Cream Cheese Rangoons
- Not Your Average Shrimp Cocktail
- Spaghetti and Clams
- Handheld Salmon Wellington Bites
Ginger Scallion Steamed Fish
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 8 oz rockfish
- 2.5 oz fresh ginger julienned
- 5 scallions
- ½ teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil
- Water for steaming
Instructions
- Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Separate the greens and the whites and julienne. Add the scallion greens to a bowl of cold water so they begin to curl and get springy.
- To a heat-safe dish, spread ⅔ of the julienned scallion whites and ginger.
- Pat the rockfish dry with paper towels. Slice it into smaller portions as needed to fit the heat-safe dish. Place the rockfish on the bed of scallion whites and ginger. Sprinkle the remaining scallion whites and ginger on top.
- Prepare your steamer and fill the bottom with 2 inches of water. Bring it to a boil.
- Carefully lower the heat-safe dish into the steamer and cover. Steam for 10-12 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Turn off the steamer and remove the dish. Carefully drain the dish of any steaming liquid.
- In a bowl, mix together Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Pour it over the steamed fish.
- Drain the scallion greens and garnish the steamed fish with it. Heat neutral oil until it's shimmering and just starting to smoke and pour it over the scallion greens. Enjoy immediately with a bowl of fluffy jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
- Don't salt the fish prior to steaming! Salt draws out moisture which will result in a firm and dry fish! The saltiness will come from the soy marinade we pour on it after.
- Avoid overcooking the fish as this will also cause it to become dry.
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