Saturday, January 20, 2007

Chinese-Style Steamed Fish

1 scaled and cleaned whole fish (about 2 lbs), rinsed, and patted dry
Salt
3 tablespoons slivered fresh ginger
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 dried hot red chile (about 3 inches long)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or wine vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
Cilantro sprigs

Make 3 diagonal slashes across fish on each side. Place on a rimmed plate that will fit on a steamer rack in a pan. (If fish is too long, cut in half crosswise and place halves side by side.)

Season to taste with salt. Place half the ginger and onions inside cavity; put chile and remaining ginger and onions on top. Pour vinegar and soy sauce over fish.

Loosely cover with foil and place plate on a rack in a pan above 1 inch boiling water. Cover and steam until fish looks just opaque but still moist in thickest part; cut to test (8-10 minutes per inch of thickness).

Arrange fish on a large platter. Garnish with cilantro.

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