Steamed fish with ginger and spring onion (薑蔥蒸魚)
The everyday Cantonese way with fish: steamed until just cooked, then finished with ginger, spring onion, hot oil and soy sauce. Light, quick and full of protein.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 3
Method
- 1
Prepare the fish. Rinse it, pat it dry and make 2 or 3 diagonal cuts down to the bone on each side, so it cooks evenly.
- 2
Set up the plate. Lay the ginger slices and spring onion whites on a heatproof plate and put the fish on top — this lifts it so the steam can get underneath.
- 3
Steam. Steam over rapidly boiling water, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes for a 500g fish, until the flesh is white and opaque right through and comes away easily from the bone at the thickest part.
- 4
Finish. Pour away the liquid on the plate and discard the cooked ginger and spring onion. Scatter the shredded ginger and spring onion greens over the fish.
- 5
Add hot oil and soy. Heat the oil in a small pan until it's very hot and shimmering, then carefully pour it over the ginger and spring onion — it should sizzle. Warm the soy sauce, water and sugar together, pour around the fish and serve straight away.
About this dish
Steamed fish is on the table most days of a Cantonese confinement month: light, easy to eat and a good source of protein. If you're breastfeeding, the NHS recommends eating at least 2 portions of fish a week, including 1 of oily fish such as salmon or mackerel — but no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week, and no more than 1 portion a week of shark, swordfish or marlin.
Tips
- Fillets need only 5 to 6 minutes in the steamer.
- Pour off the steaming liquid before adding the sauce: it tastes fishy and dilutes the soy.
- Take care with the hot oil, and keep children and the baby well away from the stove.
Sources
About these recipes
- These are traditional home recipes, shared for cultural interest. They are not medical or nutritional advice, and we don’t claim any dish treats, prevents or cures anything.
- If you have allergies, gestational diabetes or a special diet, or take any medicines or herbal remedies, check with your midwife, health visitor, GP or pharmacist before changing what you eat.
- Follow UK food-safety advice: cook meat, fish and eggs thoroughly; cool leftovers and get them into the fridge within 1 to 2 hours; eat them within 2 days; and reheat only once, until steaming hot.
- Some recipes contain alcohol, and cooking doesn’t remove all of it. If you’re breastfeeding, read our guide to ginger vinegar and chicken in rice wine first.
Experienced carers cook dishes like these every day of the confinement month, and adjust them to how you’re feeling.
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