Whole Steamed Fish with Ginger and Cilantro
According to Gloria Tai, our food development manager at Williams Sonoma, whole steamed fish, made with ginger, green onions and cilantro and topped with a splash of hot oil and soy sauce, is frequently the centerpiece of a Lunar New Year banquet for several reasons, one of which is that the Chinese word for fish, yu, is similar to the word for abundance.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole snapper, about 2 lb. (1 kg), cleaned, with head and tail intact
- 1 lemon
- Kosher salt
- 2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 3 Tbs. canola oil
- 3 Tbs. sesame oil
- 3 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 cup (1 oz./30 g) lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
Rinse the snapper under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut half of the lemon into 4 slices, each about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. Place the lemon slices in the body cavity of the fish, arranging the slices evenly so that they overlap. Season the fish inside and out lightly with salt.
Pour water to a depth of 2 inches (5 cm) in a large wok or a wide sauté pan and set a large steamer rack in the pan. Line the steamer with a sheet of parchment paper. Place the fish on top of the parchment, curling the tail toward the body if necessary to fit it in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and steam until the fish is firm to the touch and is opaque throughout when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the fish to a serving platter, discarding the parchment and lemon slices. Top with the remaining ginger.
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola and sesame oils until just smoking. Carefully pour the hot oil over the fish to crisp the skin slightly. Drizzle the soy sauce and squeeze some of the juice from the remaining lemon half on top of the fish. Garnish with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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$129.95
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