Easy Steamed Fish
November 1, 2008 – 5:49 pm by wiffy
I learnt this super easy way of cooking steamed fish from my mum and to me, this dish is perfect in every way.
Perfect because … this dish cost about S$4 (cheap!), 10 minutes to prepare (easy!) and 10 minutes to cook (fast!). It’s super healthy, and no messy clean ups later. It has all my favourite tastes (salty/spicy/tangy) as well as favourite food ingredients like ginger, spring onions, mushrooms, chili, tomato and sour plums. I lick up every last drop of the water that comes from steaming the fish… so satisfying! =D
This is so easy that you can whip this up when you’re cooking for one person too. Simply cook some rice (or porridge) while you are steaming the fish… and you have a healthy, delicious home cooked meal in no time. To me, this certainly beats eating crappy & unhealthy food court meals for around the same price ;p
Easy Steamed Fish (清蒸鱼)
Ingredients
(Serves 1)
Note: If cooking for two or more, just use a bigger piece of fish and add more of the other ingredients accordingly to fill the plate.
1 small cut of fish (for one person, about a 150g piece)
1 thick stalk spring onions, cut to 2 inch lengths
5 slices ginger, cut to strips
1 chilli padi, cut (adjust or omit to your liking)
1/4 tomato, cut to small wedges
2 shitake mushrooms, cut to stripes
1 sour plum
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp water
Directions
1. Place fish (skin side down) on a shallow dish. Drizzle 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tbsp of water over the fish. Keep in fridge (covered) for at least 30 minutes if you can.
2. Scatter the rest of the ingredients evenly over the fish.
3. Steam on high heat for 10-15 minutes (note: for the small piece I had, it’s cooked after 10 minutes of steaming).
Clean plate, a sign of satisfaction (or greed?)
Weekend Herb Blogging turns three this week and I am joining in the celebratory fun by submitting this favourite recipe of mine using my favourite food ingredients (ginger, mushrooms and sour plums) to Kalyn’s Kitchen, the creator of this popular food blogging event. Happy Anniversary! =)
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Tags: Chinese, comfort food, Fish, recipe, Steaming
Posted in 15-minute shorts, Blog Events, Chinese, Fish, Mushrooms, Recipes, Steaming, WHB
29 Responses to “Easy Steamed Fish”
This is the kind of dish you can make all at once. Cook your rice in a pot that has a steamer top (I have an all-in-one, sometimes called a pasta pentola, that has a basket for cooking pasta and a smaller steamer that fits in the top). You can make the rice in the bottom, and in the last 10 minutes add the fish. The liquid drips down and flavors the rice!
By Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) on Nov 1, 2008
This sounds delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had sour plums, but they sound intriguing! What a healthy way to cook too.
By Kalyn on Nov 1, 2008
I will finish everything that’s left on your plate, the fish skin and ginger.
I like my steam fish with sour plum too, really perfect, delicious and easy!
By didally on Nov 1, 2008
Oh man, I want your healthy steamed fish. Is the sour plum sold in bottle? I never buy it before and thus no idea how it looks like.
By Little Corner of Mine on Nov 2, 2008
Wiffy,
It looks superb!
By Coffee and Vanilla on Nov 2, 2008
Never tried cooking with sour plum before, so it’s definitely on my list of things to do with steamed fish. Thanks!
By [eatingclub] vancouver || js on Nov 2, 2008
i’m just glad I’m not reading and drooling over this late at night
By Joyce on Nov 2, 2008
We do this style of steamed fish a lot in our house. It’s best with fresh fish that has flaky flesh, like cod.
By Nate on Nov 2, 2008
What is that leftover piece of fish(or skin) doing on the plate?
I wish I had someone do all the preparation cleaning and cutting for me after a long day at work. Then, it is true…what I really have to do when I get home is that place all the ingredients on the fish and let it steam
I am so lazy right? But really tired after coming home leh…
By tigerfish on Nov 2, 2008
Totally agreed with u - Fast, healthy and no messy. That’s why I steam fish most of the time.
By lk on Nov 2, 2008
yummy! i love steamed fish, this reminds me of the teochew way of steaming except for the salted vegetables
I loved making steamed fish for myself while studying in London too! (yours look soo good!)
By Tastes of Home on Nov 3, 2008
I have not tried adding sour plum to my steamed fish, I think this is a great idea!
By Ning on Nov 3, 2008
Nice & easy!
By Alice on Nov 3, 2008
My father do this quite often till we were so scare of it. But he add some salted veg too. So “teochew”.
I kinda miss it now. 
Miss not having to lift a finger and having everything laid on the dinner table for me. 
By WokkingMum on Nov 3, 2008
Lydia, thanks for sharing… I’ll try your method sometime =)
Kalyn, thanks for your kind words … the preserved sour plums are really excellent for Chinese steamed fish =)
didally, wah you eat the fish skin!! :O
LCOM, yes the sour plums are those that are served in the bottle type (preserved in water)… hope you can find it there =)
margot, thanks! ^o^
js, it’s the preserved type of sour plums that’s sold in asian grocery stores and they go very well with steamed fish =)
Joyce, hahaha … but it’s quite healthy to eat this for supper ;p
Nate, yes I agree ;p
tigerfish, u’re another one who eats fish skin ;p hope u get used to your new work soon … take care!
tastesofhome, yes this is quite ‘teochew’ way of steaming fish… next time I will add some salted veg … I will like it =D
Ning, yes u must try! =D
wokkingmum, next time I wanna add some salted veg too if I have … I miss having my mum cook this for me too … now it’s the other way round =P
By wiffy on Nov 3, 2008
my mouth is watering. i want some steamed fish too!
By Farina on Nov 3, 2008
Yum! One of my favourite ways with fish! Dinner at your place is always so delish - was eyeing that pumpkin chawan mushi. Very creative!
Thanks for your kind words, Noobs
By Dee on Nov 4, 2008
What beautiful pictures !
By mywoklife on Nov 4, 2008
Haa..I just bought some fish yesterday and thinking about steaming it for dinner tonight. You are so right about this as easy, healthy and no fuss dish. Sour plum..mhh..I should check that out next time.
By Cecil on Nov 4, 2008
This is delicious, healthy comfort food!
By lisaiscooking on Nov 4, 2008
Excellent job! I think it’s Teo Chew way of steaming fish with sour plum if I am not wrong
I also wonder where is your SG address so that I can knock knock your door to taste it! Wink* 
By ladyhomechef on Nov 5, 2008
I love a good steamed fish and this looks great!
-DTW
By Darius T. Williams on Nov 5, 2008
oh!! you cook my favourite dish!! You know what my lazy and easy way to cook or steam this fish is by microwave it for 5 minutes!! lol! I can’t wait for 20 or 30 minutes for the hot rolling boil water to cook my fish!lol!
By beachloverkitchen on Nov 5, 2008
Ur fish looks delicious. Sour plum is the miracle ingredient, I suppose.
Will definitely try it out myself at home
By Woollycroak on Nov 6, 2008
Farina, Dee, mywoklife, lisa, DTW thanks! =)
Cecil, hehe you should totally check out sour plums for steamed fish ;p
ladyhomechef, hehe ;p Yes I realised this method is quite teochew as well ;p
beachlover, woah … microwaved fish! But why not? my microwave has a steamed function too, I should explore that in future. but I since steaming my small piece only takes 10 mins, I reckon it’s already quite fast :p
Woollycroak, thanks babe! I think your steamed whole fish looks more delicious than mine ;p
By wiffy on Nov 7, 2008
Oh, sour plums with the steamed fish! Haven’t tried that before.
By _ts of [eatingclub] vancouver on Nov 9, 2008
Hi ts, sour plums really add a nice tangy sourish taste to steamed fish… try it some time ;p
By wiffy on Nov 10, 2008
My slice fish was a disaster… dunno what I did. It’s so embarrassing to put up any pic.
By Woollycroak on Nov 27, 2008
Thank you so much. I always wanted to have a steamed fish but was scared to try. Your method perfectly suited my requirement.
By Pinky Mehan on Jan 3, 2009