How to Make Hong Kong Style Steamed Cod Fish

One of the classics of Hong Kong cuisine. Pristine cod fillets with skin on, steamed to perfection with almost no seasoning. Fall-apart-flaky, smack your lips delicious, 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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• Author: Shannon Lim
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Description

The flesh of fresh Hong Kong style steamed cod is silky and practically melts in your mouth, and the sauce is packed with umami flavors.

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Ingredients

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For the Cod:

• 1 fresh cod steak, 1 inch thick (approx. 2.5 cm)
• 2 slices ginger
• A dash of white pepper

For the Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (15 ml)
• 1 teaspoon rock sugar or caster sugar (5 g)
• 1 tablespoon water (15 ml)
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (15 ml)

For Garnishing:

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (15 ml)
• 1 spring onion (green part), cut into 1-inch lengths, thinly sliced, and soaked in ice-cold water

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Instructions

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.

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.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Main
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Hong Kong

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 steak
• Calories: 300
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 38g
• Cholesterol: 75mg