Steamed Australian Barramundi Fillets

This is how I was taught to steam fish the Chinese way with ginger, spring onions and soy sauce, and how I would do justice to some Australian barramundi fillets prized for their delicate sweet flesh. The recipe works with a whole fish too, like what my Cantonese father used to do with very fresh ones he bought from the wet market in San Francisco's Chinatown.  You'll need a 23cm /9" heatproof dish with sides about 4 cm /1½" high (similar to the metal one pictured above) to collect the juice from the fish during the steaming process.  Use a bamboo steamer slightly bigger than your heatproof dish (25cm /10" in size), which is available from Asian stores and online.  Otherwise, follow instructions here for other ways to set up a steaming station.  Serve fish with steamed rice and Asian greens.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 270g / 9½oz Australian barramundi fillets
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons Chinese Shaoxin wine
• 1-2 whole spring onions
• 1-2 spring onions, sliced diagonally into thin strips
• 3 thumb-sized slices fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 thumb-sized slices fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Marinade the fish fillets with salt and wine for 10 minutes.  With a sharp knife, slash the top of the fish in several places.  (This helps the fish to cook evenly and quickly.)
2. Place whole spring onions and ginger slices in a heatproof dish.  Transfer the fish to the dish on top of the spring onion sections and ginger slices.  
3. Arrange thin strips of ginger on top of the fish.  Place the dish in the bamboo steamer and cover with the lid.
4. Fill a large saucepan matching the size of the bamboo steamer with water to a depth of about 4 cm / 1½" and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.   Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.  Place bamboo steamer on top and steam for 10 minutes or until the fish is opaque and just cooked.
5. While the fish is steaming, combine soy sauce with sugar in a small bowl.  Mix to dissolve sugar.  In a small saucepan, heat oil until it is hot and shimmering.  
6. As soon as the fish is cooked, pour the soy sauce mixture over the fish and arrange spring onion strips on top, then carefully drizzle hot oil all over.  Serve fish directly from the dish.