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Steamed Soy Sauce Fish with Preserved Lemon

This Cantonese Steamed Fish with Preserved lemon is the best fall-off-the-bone fish recipe! It's healthy, flakey soft, and oh.em.gee. tasty. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword fish, preserved salty lemon, seafood, steamed fish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • steamer

Ingredients

  • 1 kg tilapia fish descaled, gutted, and cleaned
  • 1 inch ginger thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp preserved lemon
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 inch scallion thinly sliced (green parts only)
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • dash of grounded white pepper

Instructions

Clean the fish

  • Rinse the fish with cold tap water. Touch around the fish and descale any scales still stuck on the fish.
  • open the belly, you will see there's a grey residue. This residue is what makes the fish have a strong distasteful smell and taste. It has a strong oily flavour.
  • here's another pocket to break open. Use a knife and cut the opening on the back and it will reveal another open and you can touch the spine of the fish by then. You're ready for the next stop.
  • Take 1 tbsp of the salt and lemon to the chopping board. Chop finely of the lemon and rub and squish the lemon with your finger. Rub the salt and lemon inside the cavity of the fish. Also rub the salt outside of the fish and along the cuts along the fish. 
  • Thinly chopped 1 inch of ginger. Distard the skin outside by scraping it off with a knife. Thinly sliced the ginger as thin as you can. place half of it inside the cavity of the fish. The other half will rest at the top of the fish while it is being steamed

Steaming the fish

  • Once the fish is ready, place the fish in a heat-proof bowl or plate. You will need a dish with a dip so it catches the golden juice while it is being steamed. 
    Use the steamer you're comfortable with and that also fits the fish.
    Steam on high for 20 minutes.

Instant Pot Steaming Instructions

  • 1. Add water to the pot (roughly about 2 cups) and place the steaming basket inside. Find a bowl or a deep dish that fits the fish, and inside the Instant Pot with enough area for the steam to vaporize up.
    2. Set the mode to "Steam" for 20 minutes. Place the fish in the bowl with ginger on top of the fish. Close the lid and turn OFF the valve. 
    3. Once the timer sets off, release the valve.

Final Steps

  • Take the fish out and place thinly chopped scallion (green parts only) on top.
    Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup of oil on a pan until it starts to smoke. Place the fish in a sink or outside. Pour the hot oil on top of the green scallion. I recommend doing this step outside because the oil will bounce around and the air will be thick with smoke. 
  • Add 2 tsp of soy sauce on top of the fish, and some white peppers. Serve