Steamed Sea Bream Chinese style

Sea bream is a sea fish, also called “crucian carp”, it is one of the most popular fish species in the Mediterranean countries. It has many other names – dorada, corifena, golden spar and others.

It has few bones, tender with almost milky, sweetish flavor of meat.

Most often sea bream is grilled or pan fried with vegetable oil, under a lid or foil. But in this recipe we will go the other way.

We prepare steamed sea bream and serve it with a sauce based on soy sauce. Despite all the austerity and simplicity, the almost complete absence of spices and any complex flavor combinations, this dish will win your heart.

Asparagus, stewed or grilled vegetables, and boiled rice can be served as a side dish for the sea bream. Gordon Ramsay’s green bean salad is a great addition.

⏱ Cooking time — 35 minutes overall. Includes 10 minutes of preparation and cooking + 25 minutes unattended.

🥣 Ingredients

🍽 For 1-2 portions:

• 1 sea bream (about 500-600 g (1,1-1,3 lb))
• 50 ml (3,4 tbsp) soy sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 green onions spring
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 cm ginger root (optional)
• 2 sprigs of cilantro (leaves only)

Equipment:

• Steam cooker or equivalent (I’ll show you how to make a wok steamer)

 🔪Step by step Directions

Take 1 sea bream, rinse it under cold water. Dry it with paper towels.

Transfer the sea bream to a bowl, rub salt on all sides and inside. Leave it to soak for 15 minutes.

Prepare the steamer.

Now I’ll show you how to make an improv steamer out of a wok.

Take a wok, pour water into it. Place on top of the wok something net-like, something like a small sieve, so that the net does not touch the water. I used a Chinese skimmer. But you can also take a round grate from the microwave and put it inside the wok so that the tops of the grate don’t touch the water either. The improvised steamer is almost ready.

Put the sea bream on the net and it seems to be done. But, I didn’t like the fact that the fish sagged a lot in the net, so I decided to improve the design. I inserted ordinary disposable chopsticks there and put the fish on them. This way the sea bream got less deflection.

I don’t have such a large wok lid, so we improvise further.

Take a sheet of foil, fold it in two, cover the wok with it, and then press and twist the foil around the perimeter of the wok. Our steamer is ready.

Set the steamer with the fish on medium heat. Bring water to a boil and steam for 18 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Take 50 ml (3,4 tbsp) of soy sauce, add 2 tsp. sugar, grate 1.5-2 cm of ginger root (or chop it with a knife), pour 1 tsp. sesame oil. Mix all the ingredients of the sauce well and set aside.

On a cutting board, slice 2 stalks of green onion. First cut the onion lengthwise, then lay it at an angle and slice into feathers about 3-5 cm long.

Repeat this process with the remaining onions.

Pick the cilantro leaves off the sprigs and set them aside.

When the fish is ready, it will be very tender and soft. Very carefully, using a spatula or wide knife, transfer it to a dish.

Pour over the sauce and garnish with green onion and cilantro.