Steamed fish recipe is one of my go to weeknight dish – it’s quick, healthy and nutritious. I grew up eating Steamed Fish Teochew style almost every day, as mama is of Teochew descent. Teochew (or Chaozhou) people are native to the eastern Guangdong province of China and Teochew cuisine offers a lot of healthy steamed, stir-fried and braised dishes. Using whole fish with tomatoes, salted vegetables and salted plums, the flavours of Teochew Steamed Fish are savoury, sour, spicy and altogether very appetising.
Seafood is charged a premium item when you eat out, and even though steamed fish is a very simple dish compared to many other dishes. If you do it at home, not only is it cost saving, steaming fish is really easy and the clean up is minimal. 
Steamed Fish Teochew Style
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
A quick and healthy Teochew-style steamed fish, featuring savory, sour, and spicy flavors with tomatoes, salted vegetables, and salted plums.
Ingredients
- 1 medium whole fish (such as seabass, white pomfret, or garoupa), cleaned
- 1 inch ginger, thinly sliced into strips
- 1-2 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
- 2 tablespoons salted vegetables, rinsed and sliced
- 2 salted plums
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 1 fresh chili, sliced
- 2 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
- Fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Make two diagonal cuts along the body of the fish on both sides to allow even cooking and flavor absorption.
- Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits into your steamer.
- Pour 1/4 cup of water over the fish and scatter ginger, tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, salted vegetables, and salted plums around it.
- Drizzle soy sauce and rice wine over the fish.
- Top with sliced chili and scallions.
- Bring water to a boil in your steamer, then place the plate with the fish inside. Cover and steam over high heat for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Carefully remove the plate from the steamer. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Notes
For best results, use a fresh whole fish and ask your fishmonger to clean it for you. Adjust the level of spiciness by varying the amount of fresh chili. This dish is best served immediately but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking the fish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 10 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 35 grams
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
