Steamed sea bass in a fragrant spicy sauce
Delicately steamed sea bass, served with a fragrant, fiery sauce and stir-fried garlic pak choi – this is deceptively quick to make for something so impressive.
Ingredients
For the steamed sea bass
- 1 whole fresh sea bass, head to tail no longer than 30cm/12in, rinsed and patted dry
- pinch ground white pepper
- 2.5cm/1in fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 heaped tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
- sea salt
For the sauce
- 1 tsp chilli bean paste
- 200ml/7fl oz cold vegetable stock
- 1–2 tbsp double deluxe soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 2–3 tsp caster sugar
- 1 heaped tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2.5cm/1in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
- ½ tsp Sichuan pepper, toasted and ground (optional)
- 3 spring onions, finely cut into 1cm/½in rounds
For the garlic pak choi
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 200g/7oz baby pak choi, washed and sliced into quarters lengthways
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour, blended with 1 tbsp cold water
- dash toasted sesame oil
To serve
- 1 spring onion, cut into strips, soaked in iced water for 5 minutes and drained
- fresh coriander leaves
- freshly cooked jasmine rice
Method
To make the sea bass, place the sea bass on a deep, heatproof serving plate that will fit inside a steamer. Season the fish all over with salt and the white pepper and stuff its belly with the ginger matchsticks. Pour over the rice wine, followed by the blended cornflour. Place the plate on a steamer set over a wok half-filled with water. Place the lid on and steam the sea bass over a medium heat for 6–7 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). When the sea bass is cooked, turn the heat off and keep warm in the steamer.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, mix the chilli bean paste, vegetable stock, both soy sauces, black rice vinegar, caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl until well combined. Place a wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the rapeseed oil and swirl the oil around. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, chilli, Sichuan pepper, if using, and spring onions for a few seconds, then add the chilli bean mixture and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to very low and whisk the sauce until smooth.
To make the garlic pak choi, heat a wok until smoking hot and add the oil, garlic and chilli. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the pak choi, rice wine, soy sauce and cornflour mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes more, then finish with the sesame oil.
Carefully remove the fish from the steamer and transfer to a serving plate. Pour any remaining fish cooking juices into the sauce in the wok and stir well to mix. Pour the spicy sauce over the fish. Garnish with the spring onion and coriander leaves. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and garlic pak choi.
