Fish Steamed with Black Beans
2 min readDou Shr Jeng Hsien Yu
625g haddock fillet, skinned and divided into 4 equal pieces
1teaspoon salt
4teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons black beans, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh root ginger
1tablespoon shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander
1tablespoon groundnut or vegetable oil
2teaspoons sesame oil
Here is a classic method of steaming fish-with black beans, which add zest and pungent seasoning without over-whelming the delicate character of the fish.
1. Rub the fish fillets evenly with the salt and pepper. Combine the black beans, garlic and ginger in a smallbowl. Put the fish fillets on a heatproof plate, evenly scatter the black bean mixture over the top, then pour over the rice wine or sherry and soy sauce.
2. Set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or deep saucepan. Fill the steamer, wok or pan with about5cm(2inches) of hot water. Bring the water to a simmer. Put the plate with the fish into the steamer or onto the rack. Cover the steamer, wok or pan tightly and gently steam over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, depend-ing on the thickness of the fillets. Replenish the water from time to time. When the fish is cooked, remove the plate from the steamer, wok or pan. Scatter the spring onions and coriander on top of the fish.
3. Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the oils. When the oils are very hot and start to smoke, pour over the fish fillets. Serve at once with plain rice and a stir-fried vegetable dish for a complete meal.
