Sambal Shiok by Mandy Yin

Author:Mandy Yin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quadrille
Published: 2021-08-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED SEABASS

Steamed fish is one of the simplest dishes to execute at home. Traditionally in Chinese households we’ll steam fish whole, as a whole fish represents family and unity.

My favourite fish for steaming are seabass, pomfret and lemon sole, in terms of taste and texture. However, you can very easily just steam two fillets of whatever fish you’ve got! Salmon, hake, trout and cod will all work just as well. I’d save very oily fish like sardines or mackerel for other methods of cooking, as they are better deep-fried, pan-fried, curried or grilled (broiled).

For the traditional wok-steam method you’ll need a large wok, a trivet of some kind, and most importantly, a wok lid that closes flush once the plate containing your fish is placed on the trivet. You can buy these trivets in the utensil sections of East Asian supermarkets. Alternatively, you can use a makeshift trivet using a pair of chopsticks, arranged in the shape of a cross, above the waterline in the wok. You will also ideally have an anti-scalding plate gripper to safely remove the hot plate from the trivet later.

Start by adding water to the wok – around 4cm (1½in) from the bottom of the wok – and bring to the boil. The water must be at a rolling boil before you put your fish in.

Typically, a whole fish will be cooked within 8–12 minutes steaming on a medium–low heat, depending on the thickness of the fish. Flat fish like pomfret or lemon sole will be done in 8 minutes. Fillets are much quicker at around 5–8 minutes as there is no bone.

You’ll need a glass or porcelain plate or container with a decent lip to securely contain the sauce for the fish. The fish also releases some juice while it steams. A shallow plate will not do, as you risk spilling all of the sauce later, especially if you’re using the wok method.

In terms of preparing the fish and its seasoning, I usually rub a bit of oil on the plate before starting, to ensure the fish doesn’t stick. If you’re using a whole fish, make sure to ask your fishmonger to clean and descale it. Check supermarket fillets of fish, as the majority in the UK have not been descaled for some reason, so you’ll have to use a blunt butter knife to descale the fillet yourself.

If you do not have a large enough wok, you can use a simple roasting en papillote method in the oven instead. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Take a piece of parchment paper or foil about 50cm (20in) in length and put it on a baking sheet. Place the fish onto the parchment paper or foil, adding the seasoning on top of the fish. Then fold the sides of the parchment or foil over the head and tail of the fish, bringing the top and bottom pieces together and scrunching them up into a neat parcel. Bake for 20 minutes.

SERVES 2

3 dried shiitake mushrooms,

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