Cantonese steamed whole sea bass
Silky steamed sea bass finished with hot oil, ginger, spring onions and a light soy-sesame sauce — restaurant flavour at home.
This is the Cantonese steamed fish you’ll order in a good restaurant — delicate flesh, bright ginger and spring onion aromatics, all lifted by a hot-oil finish. It’s quick, elegant and surprisingly forgiving.
Make it when you want something impressive without fuss: a midweek supper or a simple dinner for guests. The technique is what makes it sing — dry the fish, steam gently and pour the hot oil at the end for that irresistible aroma.
Ingredients
- 1 whole sea bass — about 700–800g, scaled, gutted and trimmed
- 5 ml salt
- 0 ml white pepper
- 15 ml Shaoxing wine
- 40 g fresh ginger — reserve some finely julienned for the topping and a few thin slices for the cavity
- 4 spring onions — separate whites and greens; slice whites into long pieces
- 45 ml light soy sauce
- 5 g caster sugar
- 60 ml water
- 40 ml vegetable oil — for the hot-oil finish
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 10 g fresh coriander — small handful of leaves for garnish
- 1 red chilli — optional, finely sliced for garnish
Equipment
- large wok or steamer
- heatproof plate that fits your steamer
- small saucepan
Instructions
Pat the sea bass very dry with kitchen paper and make 2–3 shallow diagonal scores each side (do not cut right through). This helps heat penetrate evenly and keeps the flesh intact.
Season inside the cavity and over the skin with the salt and white pepper, then pour the Shaoxing wine into the cavity. Tuck a few thin ginger slices and half the spring onion whites inside the cavity and lay the remaining ginger and spring onion whites along the top of the fish. Chill in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
While the fish rests, mix the light soy sauce, caster sugar, water and sesame oil in a small heatproof jug or bowl. Warm gently in a small saucepan over a low heat just until the sugar dissolves (20–30 seconds) and keep warm.
Set up a large wok or steamer with a steaming rack and bring a full kettle or plenty of water to a vigorous rolling steam. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits your steamer and carefully lower into the steamer. Steam the fish for 10–12 minutes — for a 700–800g sea bass aim for about 11 minutes. The flesh should be opaque and just flake where the bone is.
While the fish finishes steaming, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it is just smoking (about 90–120 seconds). Be careful — hot oil can spit. Keep the oil hot and ready.
Remove the fish from the steamer and carefully tip away excess liquid from the plate. Pour the warmed soy-sesame sauce evenly over the fish. Scatter the reserved julienned ginger, the spring onion greens, fresh coriander leaves and sliced red chilli over the top. Immediately and carefully pour the hot vegetable oil over the aromatics to sizzle and release the fragrance. Finish with the remaining sesame oil as a final drizzle.
Serve immediately with steamed rice. Spoon any fragrant sauce from the plate over fish as you serve.
Tips
- Dry the fish thoroughly and score shallowly — this prevents a soggy finish and helps even cooking.
- Heat the oil while the fish steams so it’s ready to pour the moment the fish comes off the heat.
- If you don’t have a proper steamer, use a large wok with a metal rack or an upturned heatproof bowl; ensure the plate sits above the water and the steam is vigorous.
- Adjust steaming time by thickness rather than weight: use 10–12 minutes for a 700–800g whole fish, shorter for small fish, longer for very large fish.
- Leftovers keep 1–2 days in the fridge; reheat gently by steaming for 3–4 minutes to avoid drying out.
Substitutions
whole sea bass → whole sea bream, same weight
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari (gluten-free), same quantity
Noticeably differentvegetable oil → sunflower oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 420
- Calories
- 47 g
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How can I tell when the fish is cooked?
The flesh should be opaque and flake easily with a fork at the thickest part. The eye (if left on) should be white and not glassy. Use the thickness guide: 10–12 minutes for a 700–800g whole fish.
Can I use fillets instead of a whole fish?
Yes — reduce steaming time to 4–6 minutes for thick fillets and check for opacity. Arrange fillets in a single layer so they steam evenly.
I don’t have a steamer — what else can I use?
Use a large wok or saucepan with a metal rack or an upturned heatproof bowl inside. The plate must sit above simmering water with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam.
Why pour hot oil over the fish?
The hot oil instantly releases the aroma of ginger and spring onion and slightly crisps the aromatics, giving the dish its characteristic restaurant fragrance.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!