Description
This Steamed Sea Bass recipe features a delicate, flaky fish infused with fragrant ginger and fresh herbs. The sea bass is steamed gently in the oven using foil to lock in moisture, creating a tender and juicy texture. A flavorful sauce made from light and dark soy sauces, palm sugar, and vegetable oil is poured over the fish to elevate the fresh aromatics like spring onion, coriander, and chili, resulting in a vibrant, healthy, and aromatic dish ideal for a light and elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sea Bass and Aromatics
- 30g ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks (use a julienne peeler if you have one)
- 1 whole large sea bass (about 800g), gutted and cleaned (or 4 fillets of sea bass)
Sauce and Garnish
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp palm sugar
- 1 spring onion, sliced diagonally
- ½ small pack coriander, trimmed but still with most of the stalks on
- ½ red chilli, finely sliced diagonally
- 1 tbsp water (for steaming and sauce)
Instructions
- Prepare the fish: Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Place half of the ginger matchsticks inside the cavity of the sea bass. Lay the fish on a piece of foil.
- Create foil bowl for steaming: Pull the sides of the foil up around the fish to form a bowl shape. Add 1 tablespoon of water into the foil to create steam inside while cooking. Seal the foil tightly to trap the steam.
- Steam the fish: Cook the fish in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until it is flaky and cooked through. Alternatively, you can steam it using a large bamboo steamer until the flesh flakes apart easily.
- Prepare the sauce: Transfer the fish carefully to a serving platter, leaving the cooking juices in the foil. In a saucepan, combine the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetable oil, palm sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Heat over medium heat until the mixture boils and bubbles, dissolving the sugar and blending flavors.
- Assemble and serve: Top the fish with the sliced spring onion, finely sliced chili, most of the coriander, and the remaining ginger matchsticks. Pour the hot soy sauce mixture over the fish generously to ‘cook’ the fresh aromatics. Scatter any leftover coriander stalks over the top for garnish and serve immediately.
Notes
- Using foil to create a steaming environment in the oven keeps the fish moist and tender.
- If you prefer, you can steam the fish using a bamboo steamer for a traditional method.
- This recipe works equally well with sea bass fillets, adjusting cook time accordingly.
- The soy sauce mixture can be adjusted for saltiness according to taste.
- Serve this dish with steamed jasmine rice or light stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Steamed sea bass, Asian fish recipe, healthy seafood, ginger fish, soy sauce fish, easy steamed fish
