Asian Steamed Fish
Course: main, lunchCuisine: asian, south east asian, chinese, thai, vietnamese2
servings5
minutes15
minutesIntuitive Cooking|Steamed Fish
I get two cheat meals a week & one of the things I love to eat is whole steamed fish
Traditionally, steamed whole fish is eaten in Asian cultures to symbolize “head to tail”, “Unity” & “togetherness”. It’s usually done with sweet soy, fresh ginger, scallions & sizzling hot oil! It is one of the best things in the world
Over the years, I’ve taken that recipe as a base to create an easy & delicious meal anytime with literally anything around
Here’s me riffing off to create an umami-packed version with some condiments in my house. No recipe, just cooking from the heart!
This is how I eat & cook 95% of the time. The other 5% is when I’m testing recipes for you guys
You can use whatever fish you like & it doesn’t have to be whole. Salmon fillets, basa, black cod, snapper & even shrimp
Feel free to change up the amounts of seasoning and condiments based on your preferences.
Steaming Guidelines:
8-10 minutes per lb or until you can poke a chopstick/knife through the thickest part of the fish without resistance
Ingredients
1.5 lb Fresh Fish, cleaned* I used Tilapia here
2 Tbsp Shrimp Paste ( I use Cock Brand)
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (I use Squid brand)
1 Tbsp Maggie Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Fried Shallots
1/4 cup Fresh Green Onions thinly sliced
Directions
- Wash and pat dry the tilapia
- Generously season the fish with shrimp paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce.
- Top the fish with crispy shallots and steam for 8-10 minutes per lb of fish
- Check for the doneness of the fish by sticking a chopstick or knife into the thickest part of the fish. If it goes through easily it is fully cooked
- Garnish with the sliced green onions
- Serve with a bowl of rice and enjoy
