Cassie's Kitchen / Cantonese / Seafood

清蒸鱼 Cantonese Steamed Fish

Clear Steamed Fish

"The ultimate test of Cantonese philosophy — let perfect ingredients speak for themselves."

Year of the Fire Horse 火马年
20 Minutes
2-4 Servings
2/5 Difficulty
Begin the Journey

The Origin

In a cuisine known for complex preparations, steamed fish represents something radical: restraint.

Guangdong Province, China
Guangzhou

Guangdong Province, China

广东省

The Pearl River Delta — where proximity to the sea shaped a cuisine that prizes freshness above all else. Cantonese cooks believe the best ingredients need the least manipulation.

Philosophy 鲜 (Xiān) = Fresh
Technique Steaming
Principle Minimal Intervention
Fish market scene

The Cantonese Philosophy

Cantonese cuisine has a saying: "If it's fresh, steam it." This isn't laziness — it's confidence. Steaming is the ultimate test of your ingredients because there's nothing to hide behind.

In Hong Kong and Guangzhou, ordering steamed fish at a restaurant is a test. The quality of the fish reveals the quality of the kitchen. Overcook it by two minutes? The flesh turns from silky to sawdust. Not fresh? Every diner knows.

The preparation is almost absurdly simple: whole fish, ginger, scallion, soy sauce, hot oil. That's it. But within that simplicity lies precision. The fish must be live (or as fresh as possible). The steaming time must be exact. The soy sauce must be the right one. The oil must be smoking hot.

This is Cantonese cooking distilled to its essence: perfect ingredients, treated with respect, served at the peak of perfection.

"The highest skill in cooking is knowing when to do nothing."

Did You Know?

At high-end Cantonese restaurants, diners select their fish alive from a tank. The restaurant weighs it and quotes a price per catty (about 600g). The fish is killed moments before cooking. This isn't cruelty — it's the Cantonese insistence that freshness is everything. A fish that's been dead even a few hours cannot produce the same silky texture.

The Craft

Every element matters. There are no spare parts in this dish.

鲜

Xiān — The Fresh

This character means both "fresh" and "delicious" — in Cantonese thinking, they're the same thing. The fish must be impeccably fresh. Frozen won't do.

嫩

Nèn — The Tender

Properly steamed fish should be silky, almost custard-like in texture. The proteins barely set, the flesh yielding to chopsticks. Overcooking destroys this completely.

香

Xiāng — The Fragrant

The smoking oil at the end — this is essential. It blooms the ginger and scallion, creating an aromatic eruption that transforms the dish from simple to sublime.

The Ingredients

The shortest ingredient list in this cookbook. That's the point.

The Fish

The Star — Everything Depends on This
  • 1 whole Fresh fish, about 1-1.5 lbs 鱼 Sea bass, snapper, flounder, striped bass, or any firm white fish. Must be fresh — ideally still alive when purchased.

The Aromatics

  • 1 inch Ginger, julienned 姜 Cut into thin matchsticks. Two portions: one for steaming, one for garnish.
  • 3-4 Scallions 葱 Whites for steaming, greens julienned for garnish.

The Sauce

Do Not Substitute
  • 3 tbsp Premium light soy sauce 生抽 Use the best you have. Lee Kum Kee or Pearl River Bridge. NOT dark soy.
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • ½ tsp Sugar

The Finish

  • 3 tbsp Neutral oil (peanut is traditional) Must be heated to smoking — this is not optional.
  • Optional Fresh cilantro

The Method

Simple steps, precise execution. No room for error.

01

The Preparation

Clean, score, and set up.

1

If your fish isn't cleaned, do it now: remove scales, gut, and rinse thoroughly. Pat completely dry inside and out.

2

Make 3-4 diagonal slashes on each side of the fish, cutting almost to the bone. This helps heat penetrate evenly.

Why Score?

Unscored, the thick parts stay raw while the thin parts overcook. The slashes equalize cooking time across the whole fish.

3

Rub a tiny bit of Shaoxing wine and a few ginger slices inside the cavity and in the slashes. This neutralizes any fishy smell.

4

Place scallion whites on an oval plate (heatproof). Lay the fish on top. Scatter half the ginger over the fish.

The Scallion Bed

The scallions lift the fish off the plate, allowing steam to circulate underneath. This is essential for even cooking.

02

The Steaming

Timing is everything.

5

Set up your steamer: wok with water and a rack, or a large pot with a steamer insert. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

6

Once boiling vigorously, place the fish in the steamer. Cover. Steam for 8-10 minutes for a 1 lb fish, 12-14 minutes for 1.5 lbs.

Critical Timing

This is where everything is won or lost. The general rule is 8 minutes per pound, but use the flake test: the flesh at the thickest part should just flake when pressed with a chopstick. If it's still translucent, give it another minute. If it's opaque and firm, you've overcooked it.

7

While steaming, mix the soy sauce, remaining Shaoxing wine, and sugar in a small bowl. Julienne the remaining ginger and scallion greens. Keep them ready.

03

The Finish

The dramatic finale.

8

Remove the fish from the steamer. Carefully pour off the liquid that collected on the plate — it's diluted and will water down the sauce.

Don't Skip This

That liquid is fishy water. Leaving it in ruins the clean, pure flavor of the dish.

9

Remove the old ginger and scallion whites. Scatter the fresh julienned ginger and scallion greens over the fish. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the top.

10

Heat the oil in a small pan until just smoking — you should see wisps. Immediately pour the hot oil over the fresh ginger and scallions. It should sizzle dramatically.

The Sizzle

This is the moment. The smoking oil blooms the aromatics, releasing their essential oils. If it doesn't sizzle violently, your oil wasn't hot enough. The sound, the smell, the steam — this transforms the dish from good to transcendent.

11

Serve immediately. The fish waits for no one.

Troubleshooting

When simplicity reveals problems.

Fishy Smell

Your fish wasn't fresh enough, or you didn't use enough ginger. Nothing saves bad fish — buy better next time.

Dry, Tough Flesh

Overcooked. Steam for less time. Fish goes from perfect to ruined in about 90 seconds.

Bland Flavor

You used inferior soy sauce, or the oil wasn't hot enough to bloom the aromatics. The sizzle matters.

Variations

Once you master the basic technique.

With Fermented Black Beans

Add a tablespoon of rinsed, chopped douchi to the soy sauce mixture. Adds a pungent depth that works beautifully with richer fish.

With Chili

Scatter julienned red chili over the fish before the hot oil. The heat adds another dimension while maintaining the Cantonese restraint.

Fillets Instead of Whole

Works in a pinch. Steam for 5-6 minutes. You lose the presentation and some moisture protection, but the technique is the same.