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Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (Steamed Version)

By Maggie Zhu
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
No matter whether you want to learn the authentic Chinese way to make steamed fish or just want to spend a few minutes getting dinner ready, I’ve got you covered!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 flounder fillets (or other white fish such as branzino, cod, or halibut) (*Footnote 1)
  • 1 thumb ginger , julienned
  • 2 scallions , julienned
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Combine the fermented black beans, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, ginger, sugar, salt and cornstarch. Stir to combine.
  • Select a plate that can hold the fish and can fit into your steamer (or wok, if using a wok in your steamer setup). Place the fish fillets into the plate with minimal overlap. Spread the black bean sauce evenly over the fish. Set up your steamer and bring the water to a boil. Place the plate into the steamer and steam covered for 5 minutes (*Footnote 2), or until the fish is cooked through.
  • Once cooked, transfer the fish onto a serving platter. Spread the ginger and scallion over the fish.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan until it shimmers. Test the oil by poking a piece of scallion into it, it should sizzle and small bubbles rapidly rise up. Immediately pour the oil onto the fish fillets to cook the ginger and scallion. You should hear a vibrant sizzle. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. I used flounder in this recipe and really enjoyed the result. The fish is very tender and juicy, with a slightly sweet taste that works perfectly with the sauce. I also like branzino fillets, which cook fast and work well with the sauce. Thicker fish such as cod and halibut work as well, but you need to cook them longer.
  2. If using thicker fish fillets such as cod or halibut, cook for 8 minutes, or until you can easily flake the fish. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 11.4g, Protein: 31.8g, Fat: 15.7g, Saturated Fat: 3.2g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 868mg, Potassium: 486mg, Fiber: 0.7g, Sugar: 4.4g, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg