Have you ever wondered why Chinese Steamed Fish is always served on lunar new year?

Well, that is because Chinese Steamed Fish is a traditional dish that brings an abundance of wealth in the new year.

A famous saying, “年年有鱼” is a play on word that means by having fish, you will have surplus overflowing every year.

Making steam fish can seem intimidating, but trust me it’s super easy.

For extra luck, make sure always to have the head of the fish facing the eldest person in the room.

Chinese Steamed Fish is perfect for dinner parties or even weeknight dinners.

Ready in less than 30 minutes, this healthy, delicious Steamed Fish is a recipe you don’t want to miss out on!

If you are cooking for a smaller group, you can also use the same sauce mixture on fish filets instead of a whole fish.

However, if you are making this for Lunar New Year for a group, I highly recommend getting a whole fish as you want to have an “entire year” for good luck.

You will never believe that with just a few simple ingredients, you can make restaurant-style Chinese Steamed Fish from the comfort of your own home!

The secret for delicious steamed fish is the savory and slightly sweet sauce poured over a perfectly steamed fish.

You must be using HIGH-QUALITY Soy Sauce for the best flavor! Look for soy sauces that are rich in flavor, color, and aroma, which can help enhance the sweetness of the fish.

I like LKK Premium Soy Sauce as it is made from PREMIUM soybeans, and it is affordable and easy to access. 

You can use any cut of fish of your choice to make Chinese Steamed Fish.

I am using pink tilapia, but you can also use any white fish of your choice. Some of my favorites are rockfish, black cod, and black tilapia.

You may need to adjust the timing depending on the size of your fish.

Generally speaking, for 1-1.5 lb, you will cook the fish for 10-12 minutes, and for  1.5-2, you will cook for 15-20 minutes. If you can easily remove the meat off the bone, then the fish is cooked.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Whole Fish (~2lb)
• 8 Green Onion
• 6 thin slices of Ginger
• 2 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1/4 cup of Oil
• 4 tbsp of LKK Premium Soy Sauce
• 3 tbsp of Sugar

1. Stuff 2 stocks of green onion and 3 thin slices of ginger in the fish. Pour on 2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine and steam for 20 minutes.
2. Thinly julienne green onions and slice up the rest of the ginger.
3. Heat 1/4 cup of oil. In the meantime, in a bowl, mix soy sauce and sugar.
4. Once the fish is cooked, transfer the fish onto a new serving plate and remove all the stuffing. Place green onion and ginger on top of the fish and pour on the sauce.
5. Drizzle on hot oil all over the green onion, cilantro, and ginger, then garnish with some more green onion.

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5 from 1 vote

Steamed Fish

Steamed Fish is a must-have during Lunar New Year; it brings an abundance of wealth in the new year. A famous saying “年年有鱼” in Chinese is a play on words that means by having fish; you will have surplus overflowing every year! For extra luck, make sure always to have the head of the fish facing the eldest person in the room.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Active Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Yield: 4 People

Materials

• 1 Whole Fish ~2lb
• 8 Green Onion
• 6 thin slices of Ginger
• 2 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1/4 cup of Oil
• 4 tbsp of LKK Premium Soy Sauce
• 3 tbsp of Sugar

Instructions

• Stuff 2 stocks of green onion and 3 thin slices of ginger in the fish. Pour on 2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine and steam for 20 minutes.
• Thinly julienne green onions and slice up the rest of the ginger.
• Heat 1/4 cup of oil. In the meantime, in a bowl, mix soy sauce and sugar.
• Once the fish is cooked, transfer the fish onto a new serving plate and remove all the stuffing. Place green onion and ginger on top of the fish and pour on the sauce.
• Drizzle on hot oil all over the green onion and ginger, then garnish with some more green onion.

Video

Notes

TIP: You may need to adjust the timing depending on the size of your fish. Generally speaking, for 1-1.5 lb, you will cook the fish for 10-12 minutes, and for 1.5-2, you will cook for 15-20 minutes. If you can remove the meat off the bone easily, then the fish is cooked.