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Learn how to make steamed fish with our easy, tried and tested Chinese steamed fish recipe, complete with step-by-step instructions and helpful images.
Chinese Steamed Fish
I adore Chinese style steamed fish—fresh-from-the-tank live fish, steamed with soy sauce, and garnished with shredded ginger, scallions, and cilantro leaves. For me, nothing compares to the satisfaction of enjoying steamed fish with white rice, drizzled with its own soy sauce. Sometimes, I find myself indulging in bowl after bowl of rice just to savor the sauce. Chinese steamed fish is simply irresistible!
I must confess my bias: I firmly believe that fish is at its best when steamed. It’s a matter of personal preference; I just love the tender, silky, and delicately flaky texture of perfectly steamed fish.
Certain kinds of fish, such as the highly prized “Soon Hock” or Marble Goby fish, a freshwater favorite in Malaysia, are known for their exceptional steamed texture. Additionally, mild-flavored fish like snapper (both red and white), sea bass, and rock cod are top choices for this recipe. Regardless of the fish variety, the true highlight of the fish lies in its two pieces of fish cheek. The slightly chewy texture of these cheeks is simply divine and absolutely delightful.
As simple as it might seem, making a perfect Cantonese style steamed fish takes a lot of techniques and skills. I am very fortunate to have learned the secret recipe and tricks from a Cantonese chef that would turn your plain steamed fish to Chinese-restaurant worthy.
Below, you’ll find my steamed fish recipe, an authentic and unbeatable rendition that you won’t find anywhere else online! If you’re a fan of homemade Chinese cuisine, don’t miss out on exploring my collection of Chinese recipes!
Whole Steamed Fish
Chinese people love whole fish, with its head and tail intact, in its full body glory. This culinary trait is deeply rooted in Chinese cultural traditions, as whole fish is always served during important occasions to bring good luck and prosperity, for example: Lunar New Year. The reasons are very simple; we believe in the symbolism of abundance and prosperity, as the word for fish “yu” or 鱼 sounds like “surplus” (余）in Chinese.
Secondly, it signifies family togetherness and communal dining, as it’s often shared at the table. Overall, whole steamed fish embodies cultural values, auspicious symbolism, and a love for food and family in Chinese culture.
Cantonese Steamed Fish Ingredients
Steamed fish typically calls for the following key ingredients, plus a killer soy sauce mixture. Here are what you need to make the recipe at home:
- Fish – I used white snapper for this recipe. You may opt for red snapper, striped bass, sea bass, tilapia, or marble goby. If you cannot find fresh or live whole fish at your supermarket, you may use fish fillets.
- Ginger – If fresh young ginger is available in your market, get it instead of regular or old ginger. Young ginger has the best texture for this recipe.
- Shaoxing wine – Shaoxing wine imparts a subtle fragrance to the fish, masking and reducing any potential fishy smell.
- Scallion – Thinly sliced green onion threads curl up when soaked in cold ice water, making the presentation a lot more beautiful. Plus, it complements the ginger and cilantro to complete the dish.
- Cilantro – Get Chinese cilantro (the variety with thicker stems and bigger leaves) if it’s available in your market. If not, regular cilantro or coriander works equally well.
Steamed Fish Soy Sauce
My secret steamed fish soy sauce is made of six (6) ingredients:
- Soy sauce – Use a good brand of soy sauce that isn’t overly salty or sweet. I recommend Lee Kum Kee brand soy sauce for its consistency.
- Rock sugar – This is the secret ingredient used by Chinese and Cantonese chefs. Rock sugar imparts a deeper sweetness to the sauce. You may substitute with regular white sugar.
- Shaoxing wine
- Sesame oil – A tiny amount perks up the soy sauce mixture with intense aroma and fragrance.
- Ground white pepper – Gives a mild peppery kick to the sauce, balancing out the saltiness of the soy sauce and the sweetness of the sugar.
- Water – Used to dilute the sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations
There are a variety of ways to steam fish, with different sauces and ingredients beyond the traditional soy sauce. Here are some of my absolute favorites:
- Teowchew steamed fish: A renowned dish from the Teochew (Chaozhou) region, this recipe features whole fish steamed with salted vegetables, tofu cubes, scallions, tomatoes, and pickled plums. The result is a tantalizing dish bursting with robust, tangy, and savory flavors.
- Thai Steamed Fish: This vibrant recipe is packed with the zesty and tangy flavors of lime juice and spicy Thai chilies, creating a refreshing and aromatic dish that highlights the fish’s natural sweetness.
- Steamed Fish with Fermented Black Beans: Using douchi or salted soybeans, this variation adds a pungent and savory note to the dish. The black beans are mashed and used as a seasoning and topping for whole fish or fish fillets, imparting bold and complex flavors.
- Hunan Steamed Fish: Known for its fiery heat, this dish features “duo jiao” (剁椒), or pickled red chilies, combined with fermented black beans. The result is a lipsmackingly good dish with briny, spicy, and intensely flavorful chilies, perfect for those who love a kick of heat.
How to Make Steamed Fish
Step 1: Clean the fish thoroughly by removing scales, guts, gills, etc., and then pat it dry. Combine the soy sauce mixture in a small bowl and set it aside. Place the fish on a plate and drizzle 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine over the fish. Top the fish with half of the cut ginger strips.
Step 2: Heat up a steamer with enough water for steaming. Wait until the water boils. Once it reaches boiling point, place your fish inside the steamer, cover the steamer with its lid. Set your kitchen timer to 8 minutes.
Step 3: Once the fish is cooked, carefully transfer it from the steamer. Dispose the cloudy and fishy water and ginger strips. Arrange the remaining ginger strips on top of the fish.
Step 4: Heat a pan over high heat and add the cooking oil. Swirl it around until it’s hot. Pour the hot oil over the fish. Return the pan to the stove, add the soy sauce mixture, and stir well.
Step 5: Once the sauce bubbles up, pour it over the steamed fish. Top with scallions and cilantro leaves, serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
To steam fish at home successfully, having the right tools is crucial. Here are the essential tools you need:
- Steamer: You can use a tiered metal steamer, bamboo steamer, an electric steamer, built-in steam oven, or a traditional Chinese wok with lid, propped up with a bowl or a pair of chopsticks. Regardless of the utensil used, it must be big and wide enough to fit in a whole fish.
- Plate lifter: Also known as a dish lifter or plate gripper, this is a very useful kitchen tool designed to safely and securely lift hot plates, bowls, or dishes from a steamer.
- Heatproof plate: This is optional if you have a plate lifter. Otherwise, a heatproof plate will make transferring easier.
Pro Tips For Restaurant-style Chinese Steamed Fish
- Fresh fish, preferably alive and swimming in a tank.
- Steam for 8-10 minutes, adjusting to 8 minutes for a smaller fish or 10 minutes for a larger one. Trust your judgment and remember to set your kitchen timer.
- After steaming, discard the fishy and cloudy fish water seeping out during the steaming process. Contrary to common belief, it doesn’t enhance the flavors of a steamed fish dish. If anything, it may impart a bitter and fishy taste if the fish was not properly cleaned.
- Rock sugar is the secret behind the exceptional flavor of the soy sauce mixture. Ever wondered why it’s so delicious you can eat plain steamed rice with it? Now you know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Opt for fresh, whole fish with clear eyes, shiny scales, and a firm texture. Common choices include sea bass, snapper, or tilapia. Live fish is preferred for the freshest flavor, but if unavailable, ensure your fish is as fresh as possible, or you may use frozen fish fillets.
A wok or large steaming pot with a fitted lid is essential for steaming fish. Additionally, you’ll need a steaming rack or improvised setup to keep the fish elevated above the boiling water. You may use a small inverted bowl or two pairs of chopsticks laid criss-cross to prop up the fish. A kitchen timer is handy to ensure precise cooking times.
If you are steaming a whole fish, the eyeballs will no longer be translucent; in fact, they will turn opaque or white in color. When fish fillet is cooked, it turns opaque and white in color and flakes easily.
This recipe is only 277 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Steamed Fish
Serve this dish with other Chinese classics such as hot and sour soup. For a wholesome Chinese meal at home, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Steamed Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound (650g) live fish
- 2 inches ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 1 stalk scallion, cut into 2-inch length (5-cm), and then cut into thin silken threads
- cilantro leaves, for garnishing
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine
Steamed Fish Soy Sauce Mixture:
- 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar or sugar, or more to taste, if using rock sugar, break and grind it into powder form
Instructions
- Clean the fish thoroughly by removing scales, guts, gills, etc., and then pat it dry. Combine the Steamed Fish Soy Sauce Mixture in a small bowl and set it aside. Place the fish on a plate and drizzle 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine over the fish. Top the fish with half of the cut ginger strips.
- Heat up a steamer with enough water for steaming. Wait until the water boils. Once it reaches boiling point, place your fish inside the steamer, cover the steamer with its lid. Set your kitchen timer to 8 minutes.
- Once the fish is steamed and cooked, carefully transfer it from the steamer. Dispose the cloudy and fishy water and ginger strips. Arrange the remaining ginger strips on top of the steamed fish.
- Heat a pan over high heat and add the cooking oil. Swirl it around until it's hot. Pour the hot oil over the steamed fish. Return the pan to the stove, add the Steamed Fish Soy Sauce Mixture, and stir well.
- Once the sauce bubbles up, pour it over the steamed fish. Top with scallions and cilantro leaves, serve the steamed fish immediately with steamed white rice.
Video
Notes
- Fresh fish, preferably alive and swimming in a tank.
- Steam for 8-10 minutes, adjusting to 8 minutes for a smaller fish or 10 minutes for a larger one. Trust your judgment and remember to set your kitchen timer.
- After steaming, discard the fishy and cloudy fish water seeping out during the steaming process. Contrary to common belief, it doesn’t enhance the flavors of a steamed fish dish. If anything, it may impart a bitter and fishy taste if the fish was not properly cleaned.
- Rock sugar is the secret behind the exceptional flavor of the soy sauce mixture. Ever wondered why it’s so delicious you can eat plain steamed rice with it? Now you know.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
