Cantonese Chinese · Dinner

Steamed fish with ginger scallion

Name: Steamed fish with ginger scallion
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese
Ingredients: 1 whole scaled and gutted sea bass or striped bass, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 tablespoons finely julienned fresh ginger, divided; 4 scallions, finely julienned with white and green parts separated; 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs, divided; 3 tablespoons light soy sauce; 3 tablespoons hot water; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1/4 cup neutral oil; 4 cups steamed jasmine rice

A whole sea bass steamed just until silky, drained, then finished with fresh ginger, scallion, cilantro, seasoned soy, and a fragrant hot-oil sizzle.

About 35 minTotal

About 35 minActive

$$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

A large carbon-steel wok is ideal; a wide skillet works only in small uncrowded batches.
Best household stir-fry starting point
YOSUKATA 13.5-Inch Pre-Seasoned Black Carbon Steel Wok
View at Amazon
Another workable path: A large carbon-steel wok is ideal; a wide skillet works only in small uncrowded batches.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched high-heat batch searing, tossing area, and a stable household-cooktop base, then verified the 13.5-inch pre-seasoned black carbon-steel model, care burden, current manufacturer identity, and exact Amazon destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this wok.
YOSUKATA 13.5-Inch Pre-Seasoned Black Carbon Steel Wok: The 13.5-inch bowl provides a broad hot zone for batch searing and enough sloped surface to toss without steaming, while its flat base remains stable on common gas and electric household cooktops. Trade-off: Carbon steel must be dried and lightly oiled after washing, its seasoning can react with long acidic cooks, and the wooden handle rules out unrestricted oven use.
Another workable path: Use a large uncoated carbon-steel wok suited to your burner, or a wide heavy skillet for small batches; never crowd a cooler pan and expect equivalent stir-fry browning.
Sources
YOSUKATA 13.5-inch black carbon-steel wok specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 servings

1 whole scaled and gutted sea bass or striped bass, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons finely julienned fresh ginger, divided
4 scallions, finely julienned with white and green parts separated
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs, divided
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup neutral oil
4 cups steamed jasmine rice

Instructions

Pat the fish dry, trim sharp fins, and make two shallow diagonal cuts on each side. Season lightly inside and out with salt, place on a heatproof platter, and tuck one-third of the ginger, scallion whites, and cilantro into the cavity.
Set a rack in a or wide pot with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a strong simmer. Set the platter on the rack, cover, and steam until the flesh at the thickest point reaches 145°F and releases cleanly from the backbone, 9 to 13 minutes depending on thickness.
Carefully remove the platter. Tip away all cloudy steaming liquid and discard the cooked cavity aromatics. Scatter the remaining fresh ginger, scallion greens, and cilantro over the fish.
Bring light soy, hot water, sugar, and white pepper to a brief bubble in a small saucepan and pour it around the fish so the skin is not washed clean of aromatics.
Heat neutral oil until shimmering and just beginning to smoke. Carefully spoon it over the fresh aromatics so they sizzle, then serve the fish immediately with rice, lifting the top fillet before removing the backbone for diners.

Guangdong and Hong KongCantonese cooking traditions

From the table

About this recipe

Whole steamed fish with ginger and scallion is a Cantonese celebration and banquet form, especially meaningful at Lunar New Year because the whole fish and the word for fish evoke abundance and continuity.

Qing zheng yu is both Cantonese home food and a celebration dish; a whole fish with head and tail intact carries particular meaning at Lunar New Year and banquets. Freshness, restraint, and seconds-level doneness are the point. This recipe requires a platter and covered vessel large enough to hold the whole fish above the water. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Choose the culturally meaningful whole-fish branch, preserve the drain-and-sizzle finish, and add a thermometer endpoint plus explicit home-steamer requirements without turning it into a fillet shortcut.

Sources

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