Chinese Steamed Fish
AI-generated image
Chinese

Chinese Steamed Fish

A whole fish is steamed until delicately flaky, then finished with ginger, scallions, soy sauce, and shimmering hot oil for a fragrant, restaurant-style Chinese classic.

35 min 4 servings Medium
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How to prepare

1
Pat the fish dry. Make three shallow diagonal cuts on each side, stopping at the bone, then rub the fish inside and out with 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine. Tuck the sliced ginger and scallion lengths into the cavity and lay the remaining slices over the fish.
2
Combine the soy sauce, remaining Shaoxing wine, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set the sauce beside the steamer.
3
Bring 5 to 7 cm of water to a vigorous boil in a wok or steamer. Place the fish on a heatproof plate, set it in the steamer, cover tightly, and steam for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part.
Whole fish steaming with ginger and scallions in a bamboo steamer AI-generated image
4
Carefully remove the plate and pour off the liquid that collected around the fish. Transfer the fish to a serving platter, or keep it on the plate if preferred, and scatter the ginger matchsticks, scallion strips, and cilantro over the top.
5
Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a scallion strip sizzles on contact, about 2 minutes. Pour the hot oil over the aromatics, then spoon the prepared soy sauce around and over the fish.
Hot oil poured over ginger and scallions on steamed fish AI-generated image
6
Serve immediately while the fish is hot, spooning the fragrant sauce and juices over each portion.

Why this recipe works

Steaming preserves the fish's tender texture, while ginger and scallions provide lift. Hot neutral oil blooms their aroma, and soy-based sauce adds savory depth without masking the fish.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Store the fish and rice separately.

How to reheat it

Reheat gently in a covered steamer for 5 to 7 minutes, just until hot; avoid microwaving, which can toughen the fish.

Nutrition / serving

355kcal
53.19 gprotein
4.34 gcarbs
13.61 gfat
P
Pantryvale editorial kitchen
Recipe prepared for publication with complete ingredients and ordered cooking steps.
Published 20 Aug 2026 · updated 20 Aug 2026