I have a deep fondness for steamed fish.
My childhood in Guangzhou during the early 1970s was rooted in a modest five-bedroom terrace house nestled within a quaint laneway known as ‘Yayan Lane’ 雅言里, which elegantly translates to ‘Elegant Words Lane.’ This cherished family abode had been acquired by my grandfather back in the early 1950s for a mere $1,200 yuan. During that period, numerous small businesses, like the tea merchant who previously owned our house, found themselves compelled to part with their properties to settle their tax debts amid a tax crackdown. It was an era when homes seemed to exchange hands at remarkably affordable prices.
Our terrace house was a bustling hub that welcomed various family members – from my great-grandmother and grandparents to my parents, three uncles, an aunt, and their respective families. It was a place where generations converged under one roof.
In this tight-knit community, my grandmother took on the role of the family’s culinary magician. She orchestrated dinners that fed all our families, a feat not without its challenges. You see, food and essential supplies like rice, oil, meat, fish, coal, and fabric were all rationed, and we navigated this culinary puzzle with books full of colourful coupons.
Right across the road from our laneway, there stood a state-run market, a treasure trove of flavours and ingredients. It offered a wide array of goods, from meats and vegetables to seafood, Chinese sausages, BBQ delights, tofu, preserves, oil, and soy sauce. Occasionally, when small fish were hauled in from abundant schools, the coveted coupons became unnecessary. Our vigilant neighbours would keep a watchful eye, and we’d hear their joyful calls echo across the laneway. My grandmother and I would hastily grab a bamboo basket and rush over to join the eager crowd.
In those moments, there was no concept of orderly queues – instead, layers of people jostled around a concrete table piled high with fish, nestled amidst large blocks of ice. The scene was a lively frenzy of folks vying for attention, pushing and calling out to secure the prized catch. The fish, though petite, were unfailingly fresh and barely larger than my little hand.
Back home, my grandmother worked her magic by steaming these treasures with soy sauce, creating a delectable dinner that we all savoured. As for our slender house cats, they’d engage in fierce battles over the fish bones and any leftover sauce mixed with rice – a rare indulgence for our feline friends
Today, we are incredibly fortunate here in Australia, surrounded by a bounty of exquisite seafood, an abundance of aromatic spices, and an array of fragrant herbs. Among the various ways to prepare fish, my absolute favourite remains steaming. Occasionally, as I savour a well-prepared steamed fish dish, I’m transported back to the bustling marketplace just across the road from Yayan Lane, where the scent of the sea lingerred in the air.
Allow me to share my version of steamed fish – a celebration of freshness and simplicity. For this particular dish, I’ve chosen the delicate Blue Eye Cod, though you can opt for most varieties of white-fleshed fish.
Ingredients
- Fillets of white flesh fish of approx. 250g
- A few slices of ginger, julienned
- 1-2 tsp traditional or light soy sauce (adjust to taste)
- Green shallot (scallion), sliced (FODMAP: use the green part only)
- Some Coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, for garnish (optional)
- A dash of sesame oil
- Some cooking oil, approximately 2 tbsp
Method
- Place a few slices of ginger at the bottom of a dish. Lay the fish fillets on top of the ginger. Add the remaining ginger and half of the sliced green shallot on top of the fish.
- Set the dish in a steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes, adjusting the time based on the thickness of the fish or until the fish is thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the steamed fish from heat and transfer it to a serving plate. Sprinkle the remaining green shallot, chopped coriander and chilli over the fish.
- In a saucepan, heat up the cooking oil until it is very hot. Carefully drizzle the hot oil over the green shallot and coriander; you’ll hear a sizzling sound.
- Finally, drizzle soy sauce over the fish.
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