Name: Steamed Whole Fish with Scallions and Ginger (Jiāngcōng Zhēng Quányú 薑葱蒸全魚)
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (1¼- to 1¾-pound) whole striped bass , 12 to 14 inches long, scaled, gutted, and fins snipped off with scissors if desired; ¼ teaspoon table salt; 3 scallions , white parts cut into 2-inch pieces and halved lengthwise, divided, green parts cut into 2-inch matchsticks; 1 (2-inch) piece ginger , peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (¼ cup), divided; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; ⅛ teaspoon white pepper; ½ small Fresno chile , seeded and sliced thin crosswise; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Steamed Whole Fish with Scallions and Ginger (Jiāngcōng Zhēng Quányú 薑葱蒸全魚)

By Joe Gitter

Published on January 19, 2025

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 2 to 4

Steamed Whole Fish with Scallions and Ginger (Jiāngcōng Zhēng Quányú 薑葱蒸全魚)

Ingredients

1 (1¼- to 1¾-pound) whole striped bass, 12 to 14 inches long, scaled, gutted, and fins snipped off with scissors if desired¼ teaspoon table salt 3 scallions, white parts cut into 2-inch pieces and halved lengthwise, divided, green parts cut into 2-inch matchsticks1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (¼ cup), divided3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce ⅛ teaspoon white pepper ½ small Fresno chile, seeded and sliced thin crosswise2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Before You Begin

Red snapper, black sea bass, and branzino are good substitutes for striped bass. If you don't have a trivet that fits in the base of your wok, you can use a large round cookie cutter; either way, it's important that the plate rests above the water level while steaming. This recipe is from A Very Chinese Cookbook: 100 Recipes from China and Not China (But Still Really Chinese).

Instructions

Rinse fish under cold running water and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Using sharp knife, make 3 or 4 shallow slashes, about 2 inches apart, on both sides of fish. Open cavity, sprinkle with salt, and add half of scallion whites and 1 tablespoon ginger. Lightly rub fish, including head and tail, with 1 tablespoon oil.

Fold 18 by 12-inch piece of aluminum foil lengthwise to create 18 by 6-inch sling, and set 10-inch heatproof plate in center of sling. Spread remaining scallion whites and 1 tablespoon ginger in center of plate and arrange fish on top so that head and tail are positioned over ends of sling. Whisk Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and pepper together in bowl, then pour over fish.

Bring 4 cups water to boil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat. Set wire trivet in base of wok and, using sling, center plate on top. Cover (you may need to tuck head and tail to fit) and cook until thickest part of fish registers 125 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.

Using sling, carefully transfer plate to wire rack. Arrange scallion greens, remaining 2 tablespoons ginger, and Fresno attractively on top of fish. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 8-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Quickly drizzle oil over scallion greens and ginger (oil will crackle). Sprinkle with cilantro, if using, and serve.