Delicious Steamed Grouper Fish Recipe
Time passes quickly. In less than a month, it will be the Chinese New Year. I am going to make more dishes suitable for Chinese New Year's Eve dinner for everyone. Let's start with a steamed grouper today.
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Grouper: Fresh grouper is preferred. Its meat is tender and nutritious, and it is very delicious after steaming.
Green onions: Play a role in enhancing fragrance and flavor.
Ginger: Mainly used to remove fishy smell.
Sugar: Can enhance freshness.
Salt: Used for seasoning.
Steamed fish soy sauce: This kind of soy sauce is specially designed for steaming fish. It has a light taste and provides a salty and fragrant flavor.
Cornstarch: Used to remove the mucus and fishy smell of fish.
Cooking oil: Can make the fish skin brighter and increase the fragrance.
Substitutes
Grouper: If grouper cannot be found, other white-fleshed fish such as sea bass and cod can be used as substitutes.
Steamed fish soy sauce: Ordinary light soy sauce or light soy sauce can be used as a substitute, but the amount should be reduced appropriately.
Cornstarch: Flour or potato starch can be used as substitutes.
Is grouper suitable for steaming?
The flesh of grouper is relatively firm and has fine fibers, so it is suitable for steaming. After being steamed, the flesh can still maintain a tender and smooth texture and will not become loose or overly greasy.
Moreover, grouper has a light seafood flavor. Steaming can retain the original flavor of the fish to the greatest extent and will not be covered by too many seasonings. It is very delicious.
What equipment is needed for steaming fish?
When steaming fish, a covered wok or large steamer is essential. In addition, you also need a steaming rack or a makeshift device to keep the fish above boiling water.
A kitchen timer is very convenient and can ensure accurate cooking time.
If you have an electric steamer, also set the temperature to 100°C (212°F) and steam for 8-10 minutes.
It doesn't matter if you don't have a steamer or wok. You just need to use a large covered pot or deep frying pan. With it, you can use a steaming rack or put an empty tuna can in 1-2 inches of water. Look! You have a steaming device.
Tips for Success
The fish should be thoroughly cleaned
The mucus on the fish skin must be fully rubbed and removed with salt and starch. This is a key step in removing fishy smell.
After washing, thoroughly absorb the moisture on the fish body and inside the fish belly with kitchen paper to prevent excessive moisture from affecting the taste during steaming.
Knife-cutting skills
Make a cut on both sides at the thickest part of the fish back. This can not only make the fish cooked faster, but also make the seasonings penetrate better and enhance the taste of the fish.
Steam circulation
Cross two chopsticks on the plate and then put the fish on it. This can allow steam to wrap the fish body in all directions, ensure uniform heating, and avoid situations where some parts are undercooked or overcooked.
Precise heat control
Put the fish in the pot after the water boils and steam it over high heat.
Strictly control the time according to the standard that for every additional pound of fish, the steaming time is extended by one minute to ensure that the fish is just cooked through and maintain a tender taste. If the steaming time is too long, the fish will become tough and dry; if it is too short, it may not be fully cooked.
Pour out the juice
After steaming, remove the ginger and green onions and pour out the juice from steaming the fish. This part of the juice contains more fishy substances. Pouring it out can effectively improve the pure taste of the dish.
Stimulate aroma
Drizzle boiling hot cooking oil to instantly stimulate the aroma of shredded green onions and shredded ginger, and at the same time make the fish skin more shiny. Finally, pour steamed fish soy sauce from the side of the green onions to avoid directly pouring it on the fish and dispersing the aroma.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
-
·1 whole grouper (about 500g)
Accessories
-
·2 stalks of green onion
-
·6-8 slices of ginger
Seasonings
-
·1/2 teaspoon sugar
-
·1/2 teaspoon salt
-
·1 tablespoon steamed fish soy sauce or light soy sauce
-
·1/2 tablespoon cooking oil
-
·Cornstarch (as needed)
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Julienne the ginger and green onions into thin strips.
Then, mix the ginger and onion strips together.
Step 2
The slimy coating on fish skin is the main culprit behind the fishy smell.
To get rid of it, sprinkle a bit of salt and starch on the fish, gently rub it to help absorb the slime, and then rinse it off with clean water.
Step 3
Then use kitchen paper to absorb the surface moisture and the blood in the fish belly.
Step 4
Then make a cut at the thickest part of the fish back.
Note that a cut should be made on both sides.
Step 5
Then take a plate, cross two chopsticks on the plate (to facilitate steam circulation), and then put the fish on the chopsticks.
Put ginger slices and scallion sections on the fish belly and body, sprinkle a little salt, a little sugar, and drizzle a little cooking oil.
Step 6
Put it in a pot after the water boils and steam it over high heat for 7-8 minutes.
Note: For every additional pound of fish, the steaming time is extended by one minute.
Step 7
After steaming, remove the ginger and green onions and pour out the juice from steaming the fish.
Step 8
Put shredded green onions and shredded ginger on it.
Step 9
Drizzle boiling hot cooking oil to stimulate the aroma.
Step 10
Pour steamed fish soy sauce or light salt soy sauce from the side.
More recipes worth trying
Exquisite Steamed Shrimp with Vermicelli Recipe
Chinese Steamed Eggs With Clams
What other fish are suitable for steaming?
For steamed fish, it is suitable to choose fish with tender meat, clear skeletons and delicious taste. In addition to grouper, here are several common fish species that are suitable for steaming:
1. Sea Bass
Reasons for recommendation: Sea bass has a clear skeleton and the meat is not too greasy. It is very suitable for steaming, and the steamed fish meat has a very smooth texture.
2. Flounder or fluke
Reasons for recommendation: Turbot has a flat body and the fish meat on both sides is thick and tender. Its meat is white with clear texture. After steaming, turbot has soft meat that melts in the mouth.
3. Perch
Reasons for recommendation: The meat of perch is very delicious and not fishy. After steaming, it maintains its original taste and is full of flavor.
4. Yellow Croaker
Reasons for recommendation: Yellow croaker is very suitable for steaming. Its meat is delicious and easy to absorb flavors. It is suitable for matching with a small amount of seasonings to retain the delicious taste of the fish itself.
5. Mandarin Fish
Reasons for recommendation: The meat is firm and elastic. After steaming, it tastes delicious.
6. Cod Fish
Reasons for recommendation: Cod fish has tender meat. After steaming, it can maintain its original taste and is suitable for people who like light flavors.
7. Snapper
Reasons for recommendation: Snapper has tender meat and is suitable for steaming. Its natural sweetness can complement the aroma of ingredients such as ginger and green onions.
8. Eel
Characteristics: Eel has fatty meat and is rich in gelatin.
Reasons for recommendation: Eel is very suitable for steaming. It can absorb the aroma of ginger and green onions steam. The meat is tender and has a strong delicious taste.
Recipe Variations
1. Enhancing seafood flavor:
When steaming fish, you can place a few fresh shrimps and clams around the fish.
After the shrimps and clams are steamed, their flavors can blend with the umami of grouper.
For example, prepare 3-4 fresh shrimps, cut off the shrimp whiskers and feet, and make a cut on the back to remove the shrimp intestines.
Then prepare 5-6 clams, clean them after spitting out sand in advance. Place them evenly around the grouper and steam together.
2. Vegetable combination:
Add shredded carrots, broccoli and other vegetables to add color and nutrition to the dish.
Cut carrots into shredded pieces and cut broccoli into small florets. After blanching, place them around the steamed grouper. This not only makes the dish more beautiful but also enriches the taste levels.
3. Lemongrass and lemon juice seasoning:
Prepare an appropriate amount of lemongrass and lemons.
Cut the lemongrass into small sections, put it in a pot, add a small amount of water and sugar, and boil to bring out the fragrance of lemongrass. Filter and take the juice.
Squeeze lemon juice and mix it with lemongrass juice in a ratio of 1:2. Then add a little salt and steamed fish soy sauce.
Drizzle lemongrass and lemon juice on the steamed grouper. Its unique fragrance and slightly sour taste bring a fresh and refreshing new taste to grouper.
FAQs:
Because steaming fish with cold water will cause uneven heating of the fish flesh, and the steaming time will be too long, making the fish flesh dry and with a strong fishy smell.
When the fish flesh turns white and can be easily separated, it means the fish is cooked.
In addition, you can also use chopsticks to gently pierce through the fish flesh to check. If the chopsticks can penetrate smoothly without resistance, it also means the fish is fully cooked.
In addition, after steaming, pour out the juice from steaming the fish in the plate, because the juice will also have a fishy smell.
At the same time, the amount of ginger and green onions should be sufficient, and during the steaming process, the deodorizing effect of ginger and green onions should be fully exerted.
Before steaming the fish, drizzle a little cooking oil on the fish body. And after steaming, drizzle boiling hot cooking oil. This can not only make the fish skin more shiny, but also stimulate the aroma of ginger and green onions and improve the overall appearance and taste of the fish.
At the same time, make a cut at the thicker part of the fish back to facilitate the entry of steam so that the whole fish can be cooked synchronously.
