In many Asian cultures it’s a common tradition to serve a whole fish on Lunar New Year. It’s a symbol of good luck, as the Mandarin word for fish sounds similar to the word for “having extra.” Having fish every year means abundance will come your way, spilling over from one year to the next.
Steaming a whole fish might seem intimidating, but I promise it’s much easier than you think. Instead of using a steaming rack or basket, I cook the whole fish over a bed of onions, ginger, and scallions in a large lidded skillet. The big pile of aromatics not only flavors the fish, it also keeps it from touching the bottom of the pan without the need for a steaming rack. The onions become soft and jammy as the fish steams, resulting in plenty of fragrant broth to serve alongside. Serve the fish with steamed white rice, a rice dish (such as my Mushroom YouFan), or noodles. —Jessie YuChen
See Jessie’s recipes for Mushroom YouFan and Mochi-Stuffed Jujubes (Soft Hearts) to complete your Lunar New Year feast, and read about their favorite Lunar New Year traditions here.
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What you’ll need
Large Skillet with Lid
$40 At Amazon
Glass Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
Chef's Knife
$34.53 At Amazon
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Ingredients
2–4 servings
1
2
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1
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3
3
5
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Preparation
Step 1
Pat one 1–1½-lb. whole fish (such as red snapper, black sea bass, or dorade) dry, then rub with 2 Tbsp. dry rice wine (such as michiu or sake) and sprinkle 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt all over inside and outside of fish. Place a few slices from one 3" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, inside fish; set aside.
Step 2
Trim 1 large bunch scallions and cut into 3"-long pieces; set white and pale green parts aside. Thinly slice dark green parts lengthwise. Place in a small bowl and pour in cold water to cover; set aside.
Step 3
Place 2 large onions, thinly sliced, in a large skillet with a lid, arranging so they cover the bottom of pan; drizzle 2 Tbsp. Kimlan dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce over and sprinkle 1 tsp. raw sugar or light brown sugar on top. Arrange remaining ginger in the middle of pan to form a bed, then line up reserved scallion white and pale green parts on top to form a rack. Pour in remaining ¼ cup dry rice wine (such as michiu or sake) and ¼ cup water, cover with lid, and set over high heat. Bring liquid in pan to a boil (you should see steam coming out of the sides of the pan), about 3 minutes. Uncover pan and quickly place reserved fish on top of scallions. Re-cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam fish until cooked through, 7–9 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil and 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, until it's shimmering and just starting to smoke, about 4 minutes.
Step 5
Uncover fish and transfer to a platter (or serve directly in skillet). Scatter 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and 3 red Thai chiles, thinly sliced, on top of fish. Drain reserved dark parts of scallions and place on top of fish; carefully pour hot oil over (it will splatter).
How would you rate Jessie’s Special Steamed Whole Fish?
Leave a Review
Reviews (16)
Back to TopThe fish was cooked perfectly, but I thought the sauce/onions was a bit bland and could have used something like fish sauce. I definitely would give this another shot though.
Jacob F
Cambridge, MA
2/26/2023
I made this steamed fish tonight. It was a popular dish for dinner and the fish was picked to the bone. Tasty tender aromatic and easy to make. Good job in the instructions. Great over freshly made steamed rice. Five stars!
Chef Al
Toronto
10/11/2022
I've never written a recipe review in my life until now. It was so easy to make and I'm so overwhelmed by how flavourful and powerful all the flavours were. Definitely don't skimp out on the chiles and sesame oil.
Isaac
London, UK
1/31/2022