How to Make Hong Kong Style Steamed Cod Fish

and served with an umami-packed sauce that – to be perfectly honest – you could just as well serve as a soup. It’s that good.

Best thing about this dish (except for the “amazing deliciousness” I mean)? You’ll whip this healthy dish together in under 30 minutes, and you family will immediately start to worship you as The Cod of Cooking.

How to Get Perfectly Steamed Fish:

– Fillets 1 inch (2.5cm) and thicker: check at 10 minutes, add 2 minutes for every 1/2 inch (1.3cm) of additional thickness
– Fillets less than 1 inch (2.5cm): check at 7 minutes
– Super thin fillets: check at 5 minutes

To check to see if the fish is done at the times indicated, gently poke at the flesh in the middle with a chopstick or fork. If flesh flakes easily, then its done. If flesh sticks together still, then add 1-2 more minutes of cooking time. Also check to make sure you don’t run out of steaming water.

How to Make Hong Kong Style Steamed Cod

Preparing the Cod

1. Clean and Dry the Fish:
   • Clean the cod steak thoroughly under running water and pat it dry with paper towels.
2. Arrange on Steaming Dish:
   • Place the ginger slices in the middle of a heatproof steaming dish. Place the cod steak on top of the ginger slices.

Steaming the Cod

3. Boil Water for Steaming:
   • Bring water to a boil in a steamer or a large wok fitted with a steaming rack over high heat.
4. Steam the Fish:
   • Once the water is boiling, place the steaming dish with the cod into the steamer. Cover and steam for 7 minutes.

Preparing the Sauce

5. Heat Sauce Ingredients:
   • While the fish is steaming, combine the light soy sauce, rock sugar, water, and Shaoxing wine in a small pot. Heat over medium heat until the rock sugar is completely dissolved. Keep warm.

Preparing the Garlic Oil

6. Fry the Garlic:
   • In a small pan, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat and set aside.

Final Touches

7. Check the Fish:
   • After 7 minutes, check the doneness of the fish. It should be opaque and flaky. Remove the dish from the steamer and carefully pour away any liquid that has condensed on the dish.
8. Season the Fish:
   • Sprinkle a dash of white pepper over the steamed cod steak.
9. Pour the Sauce:
   • Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the fish.
10. Add Garlic Oil:
    • Immediately pour the hot garlic oil over the fish. The sizzling oil will enhance the flavor.
11. Garnish and Serve:
    • Garnish the fish with the golden-brown garlic and the spring onions. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Steaming Tips: Ensure the water is boiling before placing the fish in the steamer for even cooking.
• Rock Sugar Substitute: If rock sugar is unavailable, caster sugar works well as a substitute.
• Garnishing: Soaking the sliced spring onion in ice-cold water makes them curl and adds a crisp texture.

How to Make Hong Kong Style Steamed Cod

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4.7 from 7 reviews

• Author: Shannon Lim
• Total Time: 12 minutes
• Yield: Serves 1
• Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore

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Description

Silky cod fillets melt in your mouth, topped with a savory umami sauce. A quick, elegant weeknight meal.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lbs (454 g) fresh cod steak
• 2 slices ginger
• A dash of white pepper
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 g) rock sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
• 1 spring onion

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Instructions

1. Preparing the Cod
2. Clean the cod steak thoroughly under running water and pat it dry with paper towels.
3. Place the ginger slices in the middle of a heatproof steaming dish. Place the cod steak on top of the ginger slices.
4. Steaming the Cod
5. Bring water to a boil in a steamer or a large wok fitted with a steaming rack over high heat.
6. Once the water is boiling, place the steaming dish with the cod into the steamer. Cover and steam for 7 minutes.
7. Preparing the Sauce
8. Combine the light soy sauce, rock sugar, water, and Shaoxing wine in a small pot. Heat over medium heat until the rock sugar is completely dissolved. Keep warm.
9. Preparing the Garlic Oil
10. In a small pan, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat and set aside.
11. Final Touches
12. After 7 minutes, check the doneness of the fish. It should be opaque and flaky. Remove the dish from the steamer and carefully pour away any liquid that has condensed on the dish.
13. Sprinkle a dash of white pepper over the steamed cod steak.
14. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the fish.
15. Immediately pour the hot garlic oil over the fish. The sizzling oil will enhance the flavor.
16. Garnish the fish with the golden-brown garlic and the spring onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

• For even cooking, ensure your cod fillet is of uniform thickness. Thicker sections may require an additional 2-3 minutes of steaming time.
• Substitute mirin for Shaoxing wine for a slightly sweeter profile. Dry sherry also works well.
• To retain moisture, cover the steamed cod loosely with foil or parchment paper during the final minute of steaming.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 400
• Fat: 10
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Unsaturated Fat: 7
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 15
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 30
• Cholesterol: 80

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