Name: Steamed Whole Fish with Scallions and Ginger (Jiāngcōng Zhēng Quányú 薑葱蒸全魚)
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (1¼- to 1¾-pound) whole striped bass, 12 to 14 inches long, scaled, gutted, and fins snipped off with scissors if desired; ¼ teaspoon table salt; 3 scallions, white parts cut into 2-inch pieces and halved lengthwise, divided, green parts cut into 2-inch matchsticks; 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (¼ cup), divided; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; ⅛ teaspoon white pepper; ½ small Fresno chile, seeded and sliced thin crosswise; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

A whole steamed fish is one of those ubiquitous dishes found across Chinese dinner tables. It works equally well as part of a larger banquet or simply a star attraction in a very easy weeknight meal served alongside white rice. The fish is placed on its serving plate and set above, but not touching, simmering water. A trivet or a wide cookie cutter in the wok perform this purpose admirably. The beauty of the dish is its elegance. As the fish cooks, it will release its gelatine-loaded natural juices which mingle with a simple sauce made of soy sauce, Shaoxing, and white pepper. The aromatics are ginger and scallions which are set under the fish and in its cavity. These not only flavor it throughout but also raise the fish up from the plate, helping it cook more evenly. The fish can then be taken straight to the dinner table before its final flourish: Fresh aromatics are placed on top of the fish, hot oil is poured over them, and with an exciting sizzle, their aroma is released, signaling a start to this little feast.

Before You Begin

Red snapper, black sea bass, and branzino are good substitutes for striped bass. If you don't have a trivet that fits in the base of your wok, you can use a large round cookie cutter; either way, it's important that the plate rests above the water level while steaming. This recipe is from A Very Chinese Cookbook: 100 Recipes from China and Not China (But Still Really Chinese).

Instructions

Rinse fish under cold running water and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Using sharp knife, make 3 or 4 shallow slashes, about 2 inches apart, on both sides of fish. Open cavity, sprinkle with salt, and add half of scallion whites and 1 tablespoon ginger. Lightly rub fish, including head and tail, with 1 tablespoon oil.

Fold 18 by 12-inch piece of aluminum foil lengthwise to create 18 by 6-inch sling, and set 10-inch heatproof plate in center of sling. Spread remaining scallion whites and 1 tablespoon ginger in center of plate and arrange fish on top so that head and tail are positioned over ends of sling. Whisk Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and pepper together in bowl, then pour over fish.

Bring 4 cups water to boil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat. Set wire trivet in base of wok and, using sling, center plate on top. Cover (you may need to tuck head and tail to fit) and cook until thickest part of fish registers 125 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.

Using sling, carefully transfer plate to wire rack. Arrange scallion greens, remaining 2 tablespoons ginger, and Fresno attractively on top of fish. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 8-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Quickly drizzle oil over scallion greens and ginger (oil will crackle). Sprinkle with cilantro, if using, and serve.