I love Teochew style steamed fish (see my cod fish recipe here) because it was a dish that I grew up eating as my Granny who’s Teochew used to make it really often when I was little. Likewise, every time I visited my in-laws in Essex, England, my mum-in-law would cook the Cantonese style of steamed fish for me. The sauce in this recipe is very similar to my mum-in-law’s recipe and is equally delicious.
Hong Kong Style Steamed Cod Fish Recipe
Ingredients (serves 1-2)
1 slice cod fillet
3-4 slices ginger
1 heaped tbsp minced garlic
vegetable oil
spring onions
Sauce:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp Hua Tiao Shao Xing wine
Instructions
1. Rinse cod fillet and pat dry with kitchen towels.
2. Arrange ginger slices in a steaming dish and place cod on top. Steam at high heat for about 6-8 minutes till cod is cooked through.
3. While the fish is steaming, heat a little oil in pan and fry the minced garlic till golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, bring the sauce to a boil. When the fish is ready, drizzle the sauce over.
5. Top with the crispy garlic and garnish with some spring onions.
(Recipe adapted from Annielicious Food)
The original recipe actually had the steaming liquid poured away when the fish was done, however I chose to keep it because that liquid was naturally sweet-tasting and it really complemented the sauce that was drizzled over, making it even more flavoursome. Also, I liked that the garlic was more overdone in my version so its strong taste was minimized and gave the dish a nice crunch too. If you like steamed fish as much as I do, try both recipe styles and see which one you prefer. Enjoy!