Fresh Steam for a Lunar New Year

Happy Year of the Rat! We are celebrating the lunar new year with a beautifully, flaky steamed fish. This recipe is all about the preparation and with just a few simple steps, you are on your way to umami steamed, fish heaven. Using the bamboo steamer is an easy way to cook the fish and it doubles as great presentation with easy clean up. I’m a big fan of ginger and this two-fold ginger preparation infuses a punchy flavor that’s mellowed out with the savory and bitter-goodness of the green onions, cilantro, and garlic. The sweet and sourness of the soy mixture (cue Mirin, the Japanese rice wine champion) atop all the other flavors delivers the perfect umami.

The flash fry of toasted vegetable and sesame oil wilts the soft greens atop the cod and creates the perfect sauce to spoon over white rice. This step is also a bit of a wow factor, so if you’re entertaining guests and want to impress, feel free to spoon on that hot oil table side. Just make sure you give enough room between you and the guest as to avoid that awkward moment where you burn your friend with hot oil…

I like to use a white and flaky fish for this dish, like cod or haddock. But for a special occasion, I say swing for that Chilean sea bass. There’s nothing better than that delicious umami paired with a fall apart tenderness of a sea bass!

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UMAMI STEAMED GINGER AND SOY FISH

Serves 4

ingredients + TOOLS

• 2 – 10” bamboo steamers and lid

• 2 – 9” plates

• 1 large 3-4” deep skillet

• 4 filets of cod (haddock, snapper, or seabass would work well)

• 1 head of napa cabbage

• 1 bunch of cilantro, leaves pulled from stems and left whole

• 1 bunch of green onion, julienned at an angle

• 1 3-4” piece of ginger

  • Half peeled and julienned finely

  • Half grated to 3-4 Tbsp of ginger

• 5-6 large cloves of garlic, sliced thinly

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp Mirin (Japanese rice wine)

• 1/4 tsp sesame oil

• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar

• Flash fry oil

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil

STEPS

1. Place a plate on each of the bamboo steamers and layer two pieces of napa cabbage on each plate.

2. Prepare the cod and place two pieces on top of the napa cabbage.

3. Split the grated ginger and sliced garlic and spread evenly across the cod.

4. Pour about 1” of water into the large skillet and bring to a boil. Place a rack to elevate the steamer so it sits above the water. Cover and steam the fish 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked and flaky.

5. Prepare the soy sauce mixture by combining the soy sauce, Mirin, 1/2 tsp of sesame oil, and sugar.

6. Once the fish has been steamed, remove from heat. Layer on a small pile of the cilantro, green onion, and sliced ginger on each piece of fish.

7. Using half of the soy sauce mixture, spoon it over each filet.

8. Using a small skillet, heat the vegetable and sesame oil until the surface is shimmering and it begins to slightly smoke.

9. Using a spoon or a careful pour, pour the oil over the fish to flash fry the greens and combine with the soy sauce mixture. Stand back while doing this step as the oil will sizzle and splatter a bit as it makes contact.

10. Spoon the remaining soy mixture over the fish and serve immediately.