Steamed Sea Bass

One of my favorite go-to dishes. It's tasty, healthful, and the multi-colored garnishing makes an appetizing visual. Most importantly, it is easy. Over the years, my American husband has learned to look his food in the eye. But if you are squeamish about your food being served with its head intact, fillets can be substituted for the whole fish.

Steamed Sea Bass

A - Aromatics
3 stalks scallions, green and white parts separated
1" fresh ginger root

B - Meat
1 whole striped bass, cleaned, scaled and, if desired, filleted (your fishmonger can do all this)
3 tbsp vegetable oil

C - Garnishing
Green part of the scallion stalks from (A)
1" fresh ginger root
1 fresh red chilli

D - Sauce
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or Vermouth
1 tsp sugar
White pepper

*****

A - Slice the white parts of the scallion stalks into 1" sections and then half lengthwise. Slice the ginger root. Stuff a few sections of scallion and slices of ginger in the fish gullet (if using a whole fish). Arrange the remainder of the aromatics on a plate and place the fish on top.

B - Steam the fish for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. If using fish fillets, 8 minutes should suffice. I like to steam my fish using a metal stand and a big wok. With the metal stand in the wok, fill with water just touching the plate of the stand. Bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, place your plate with the fish on it on the stand. Steam covered for an appropriate time period.

While the fish is cooking, heat the vegetable oil until smoking (you can also prepare your garnishing (C) during this time). When the fish is cooked, transfer it to a clean serving dish (use a large ladle or two ladles so that the fish remains intact) and pour the hot oil over to sizzle it.

C - To prepare your garnishing: Slice the green parts of the scallions into 1" sections and then julienne. Slice the ginger root thinly and then julienne. De-seed the chilli and julienne. Toss the garnishing ingredients together and arrange on top of the cooked fish.

D - Heat the sauce (I do it in the pan that I used to heat up the oil or in the microwave) and pour over the assembled dish.

Serve immediately with steamed white rice.