Qingzheng Yu
Qingzheng Yu is delicate, fragrant, and strikingly simple: moist whole fish steamed until just tender, then finished with ginger, scallions, chili, and sizzling oil. The result is clean yet deeply savory, with bright herbs and a silky sauce that pools around the fish.
Ingredients
Fish and aromatics
- 700 gwhole white fish (such as sea bass or snapper), cleaned
- 30 gfresh ginger, julienned
- 40 gscallions, cut into fine shreds
- 10 gred chili, thinly sliced
- 10 gfresh cilantro leaves
Seasoning sauce
- 25 mltamari
- 15 mlsesame oil
- 15 mlneutral oil
- 2 gsea salt
- 1 gwhite pepper
Instructions
- 1
Set up a steamer or a wok with a rack and bring the water to a full boil. Pat the fish very dry inside and out, then lay it on a heatproof plate that fits inside the steamer. Season the cavity and exterior with the sea salt and white pepper. Stuff one-third of the ginger and one-third of the scallions into the cavity and scatter a little over the top. Dry fish steams more cleanly, and light seasoning at this stage helps the flesh stay savory without becoming salty.
- 2
Place the plate in the steamer, cover, and steam over high heat for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness. The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily near the backbone and the thickest part is just opaque. Avoid overcooking; residual heat will continue to cook it slightly after steaming.
- 3
While the fish steams, mix the tamari and sesame oil in a small bowl. Combine the remaining ginger, remaining scallions, sliced chili, and cilantro so they are ready to top the fish immediately.
- 4
Carefully remove the steamed fish. If there is a lot of liquid on the plate, spoon off most of it so the flavor stays concentrated rather than watery. Spoon over the tamari-sesame mixture, then pile the remaining ginger, scallions, chili, and cilantro over the fish.
- 5
Heat the neutral oil until just smoking, then immediately pour it over the aromatics on top of the fish. It should sizzle sharply and release their fragrance. Serve right away, spooning some of the hot juices over each portion.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a beginner-friendly result, choose a fish around 700 g; it cooks quickly and evenly within the time limit.
- •If your fish is thicker than average, add 1-2 minutes of steaming time and check near the backbone for doneness.
- •A plate with a slight rim is ideal so the flavorful juices do not spill into the steamer.
- •Traditionally this dish is often made with light soy sauce, but tamari works well here and keeps the recipe gluten-free and paleo-leaning.
Background
Steamed whole fish is a classic preparation in Chinese home cooking and banquet cuisine, especially in Cantonese traditions where freshness and restrained seasoning are highly valued. Ginger and scallion are used to perfume the fish rather than mask it, and the final pour of hot oil is a hallmark finishing technique that blooms the aromatics at the table.
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