「Steamed Mandarin Fish with Scallion Oil」

Ingredients and amounts

• 1 mandarin fish (about 500g)
• 1 scallion (30cm long)
• 2 bird's eye chilies
• 50g ginger
• 25g cooking wine
• 15g vegetable oil
• 8g salt
• 10g steamed fish soy sauce
• 5L water

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Buy a pre-cleaned fish or clean it yourself, removing all scales from the skin.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Use paper towels to wipe away any blood and black membrane from the belly; the blood affects texture and the membrane causes fishy smell.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Scrape the fish skin back and forth with a knife to remove slime, then rinse inside and out with water.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Place the fish flat on a cutting board, pat dry with paper towels. With the head left and tail right, make vertical cuts every 3cm from the gills down to the spine. Repeat on the other side.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Place the fish flat in a basin, ensuring no excess water remains.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Peel and wash 50g ginger, slice into 3mm thick pieces.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Wash and deseed the bird's eye chilies, slice into 2mm rounds or 1mm strips.

8. 8

   Step 8

   Wash the scallion, remove roots, cut into 3cm sections. For thicker scallions, split lengthwise.

9. 9

   Step 9

   Add 8g salt and 25g cooking wine to the basin. Wearing gloves, massage the fish for 1 minute, ensuring even coverage.

10. 10

    Step 10

    Stuff a ginger slice into each cut and place 3 slices in the belly. Marinate for 10 minutes (do not over-marinate to preserve freshness).

11. 11

    Step 11

    While marinating, bring 5L water to a boil in a steamer and place the steamer basket on top.

12. 12

    Step 12

    After marinating, discard any released liquid, used ginger, and wine. Rinse the fish inside and out with water, then pat dry with paper towels.

13. 13

    Step 13

    Place the fish flat on a steaming plate. Re-stuff ginger slices into the cuts and belly.

14. 14

    Step 14

    Place the plate in the steamer, cover, and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.

15. 15

    Step 15

    During steaming, condensation will form fish broth on the plate. Do not discard this broth—it is the essence of flavor.

16. 16

    Step 16

    Using heat-resistant tongs, remove the plate. Drizzle 10g steamed fish soy sauce over the fish and around the plate.

17. 17

    Step 17

    Evenly scatter scallion sections and bird's eye chilies over the fish and plate.

18. 18

    Step 18

    In an iron pan, heat 15g vegetable oil over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Do not use high heat to avoid rapid evaporation.

19. 19

    Step 19

    Slowly and evenly pour the hot oil over the fish. Serve immediately.