This recipe is getting moved to my Pinterest "Recipes Tried and Worth Keeping" board. I'll make a few small changes, but overall this was so simple and fast--and delicious--I will definitely be making it again.
Notice that there aren't a lot of ingredients!
The recipe calls for tilapia or sea bass. The closest thing I could get at my local fish counter was Red Snapper. What's funny about that is that another recipe I found today suggested a whole Red Snapper. Obviously it worked out fine (and I think I will try it with Swai next time).
I didn't use either recipe's method for steaming fish. I'm lucky enough to own a Rival Steamer and all I need to do for perfectly steamed fish is put some water in the reservoir, put the fish in the steamer basket, cover it and plug it in.
I got this as a wedding gift years ago, and it is so perfect for certain things (like corn on the cob and asparagus -- and fish) that when my first one died I bought another.
So in went the fish.
Next it was all about the prep. I julienned 3 scallions (or green onions if that is all you have like me). Chop up a small bunch of cilantro. I got out a plate for the fish to go on to, and the green parts of the green onions as well as the cilantro are ready to go.
I julienned about 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, and prepared the soy sauce mixture. Two tablespoons of toasted sesame oil went into a small sauce pan. Everything, including the julienned whites of the green onions, was ready to go. The white bowl is for the ginger after it was fried.
Once the fish was done it went straight on the rimmed plate and topped with the cilantro and green onions.
While the fish became infused with flavor it was time to make the finishing sauce. The sesame oil was heated up over medium high heat. I was looking for a sizzle when the ginger hit it.
After a couple of minutes, just until crispy, I actually removed the fried ginger. I wasn't sure I would like it and wanted to make it optional for the topping. After removing the ginger, I added in the whites of the green onions.
Maybe a minute, until they looked crispy, and in went the soy sauce mixture.
That was brought to a boil and boiled for about 30 seconds before being poured over the top of the fish.
Oh and that fried ginger? Turns out I hated it so I am glad I removed it. But there was enough ginger flavor in the oil to give just a gentle hint of ginger to the dish.
The aroma was wonderful and the fish delicately flavored.
I loved this fish, and will try again with a few tweaks. I already exchanged canola oil for toasted sesame oil, snapper for tilapia, and left off the fried ginger.
Next time I make it I think I will try a mix of peanut and sesame oil, swai, and just heat a little ginger paste or a slice or two of ginger for the ginger flavor. I am also thinking of frying up sliced garlic but I'm on the fence about tht.
Here is the recipe I mostly followed:
This is a recipe I found today. I'm thinking of incorporating a few things from this recipe, especially the sauce and maybe marinating.
Labels: Main Dish
