A pungent sauce made with Chinese fermented black beans permeates and enhances the flavor of the steaming fish in this simple dish. Be sure to spoon the leftover sauce over the steamed fish when serving. The recipe can easily be doubled.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound trout, cleaned and gutted, with head and tail left on
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- .
- Black Bean Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans (salted black beans), rinsed several times and coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. chili paste, optional, to taste
- .
- Other:
- 1 spring onion (green onion, scallion) cut into 1 1/2-inch long pieces and shredded
- 1 tablespoon peeled and thinly sliced fresh ginger
- Fresh mint or cilantro for garnish, optional
Preparation:
1. Prepare the wok for steaming. If the fish isn’t already gutted, see these photo instructions on How to Gut and Scale a Fish.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Score the sides of the flesh by making 2 -3 diagonal cuts on each side. Rub salt over the trout and inside the cavities.
3. In a bowl, combine the chopped black beans with the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, sesame oil and chili paste (if using), stirring to combine thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle half of the shredded spring onion and ginger in a shallow heatproof bowl. Lay the fish over. Rub the black bean sauce over both sides and inside the cavities. Sprinkle the remainder of the sliced ginger and spring onion over top.
5. Place the dish in the wok (the bowl should not touch the sides of the wok, and the water should reach up to within 1-inch of the dish). Steam the fish over high for about 8 minutes, until cooked and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
Garnish with cilantro or mint if desired. Serve with cooked rice.
More Steamed Fish Recipes:
Chinese Steamed Whole Fish
Video: Steamed Fish with Asian seasonings
More Chinese Seafood Recipes
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Score the sides of the flesh by making 2 -3 diagonal cuts on each side. Rub salt over the trout and inside the cavities.
3. In a bowl, combine the chopped black beans with the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, sesame oil and chili paste (if using), stirring to combine thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle half of the shredded spring onion and ginger in a shallow heatproof bowl. Lay the fish over. Rub the black bean sauce over both sides and inside the cavities. Sprinkle the remainder of the sliced ginger and spring onion over top.
5. Place the dish in the wok (the bowl should not touch the sides of the wok, and the water should reach up to within 1-inch of the dish). Steam the fish over high for about 8 minutes, until cooked and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
Garnish with cilantro or mint if desired. Serve with cooked rice.
More Steamed Fish Recipes:
Chinese Steamed Whole Fish
Video: Steamed Fish with Asian seasonings
More Chinese Seafood Recipes
