A couple of years ago, I created a dish of steamed fish, garlic, ginger, parsley and olive oil. Earlier today, I decided to create something similar but with more oriental flavors. Instead of olive oil, I used sesame seed oil. In lieu of chopped parsley, I added onion leaves. The simplicity of the preparation, the freshness of the ingredients, the amazing aroma… this is down-to-earth cooking.
You can use any fleshy fish for this dish although I wouldn’t recommend fish with rather dry flesh like talakitok. It’s always best to use oily fish in steamed dishes. I used pompano but labahita, maya-maya and even tilapia will be just as good. I know that whole fish is not that common in the West but please, please don’t use fillets to make this dish. The head and bones are the most flavorful parts of the fish and you really want to catch all the flavors and get them mixed into the delicate fish flesh and into the sauce as well.
I used an 800-gram fish for a meal for two and it was more than enough. We have a househelp now (hope she doesn’t elope with some tricycle driver the way a previous one did) so the lunches for one on schooldays will be mostly lunches for two.
Ingredients :
1 whole fish, about 800 grams in weight
sea salt
2 tbsps. of finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp. of finely chopped ginger
3-4 tbsps. of onion leaves cut in 2-inch lengths
about 1/3 c. of sesame seed oil
Cooking procedure :
Clean the fish and score diagonally on both sides. That means slashing the back of the fish diagonally towards the tail. Not all the way through the bone but about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep depending on the thickness of your fish.
Rub both sides of the fish liberally with sea salt (rock salt will do just as well).
Take a heat proof dish large enough to hold the fish. Grease the bottom with about a third of the sesame seed oil. Lay the fish on the oil. Sprinkle the garlic, ginger and onion leaves on top. Drizzle the rest of the sesame seed oil over the fish and vegetables.
Steam over simmering water for about 30 minutes.
Serve at once with hot rice. I tell you, great home-cooked meals do not mean penitence for wives and mothers.
That dish looks absoultely delicious! With the olive oil, ginger and parsley finishes. Mmm!
I’m a big fan of fish
This will probably turn out to be my favourite recipie, my favourite at the moment being this one!
Oh, you prefer the older recipe…?? You know, I think this one is better.
That looks like the perfect homecooked meal, especially during the rainy days here in Cambodia… and it seems easy too (not sure… it’s my husband who does the cooking
). I’ll show this to him for the next meal he cooks.
hello! looks yummy to me…i’m really not into eating steamed fish but i’ll surely try this one out!:wink: hey connie, i’ve read your post abt the fish tofu…i’ve tried one here in Australia, Hakka brand and manufactured in Malaysia. you might want to look one around the shops there…thanks for the recipes..they’re great!
God bless.
I also use sesame oil instead of olive oil. I like the aroma specially with vegetables like chopsuey.
hello!
this looks appetizing and easy. will try it soon. btw, i saw your interview on ANC and i totally agree with you. that’s the reason i love visiting your blog. it’s easy to read and believable. you make your dishes sound simple yet good. i visit yours daily together with marketman’s, anton’s,wysgal and lori baltazar’s. more power to you! 
hi connie! OT: i saw you in TV!
I also add kinchay (chinese celery) to make it more Asian, yummy!:grin:
Very easy, Toe. Surprise your hubby by making the dish yourself?
Hi Jessica. I’ll try to look for that brand. Thanks.
Very oriental, right, Ann? Olive oil doesn’t really have any distinctive aroma.
Hi Molly, ahhh yes the ANC show… I would have lambasted stupidy written cookbooks had there been an opportunity hehehe
GeWI, I wish we had talked about food and cooking more LOL
Lani, wansuy (cilantro) will work well too. More subtle than kinchay but just as aromatic.
Ms. Connie can I bake the fish instead of steam? A la bain marie? My steamer is too small for the whole fish.Same din po ba the result? How about the baking time? Can i used “lapu-lapu” or “talakitok” if pompano is not available?
Thank you so much.
Yes. But I suggest you tent it with foil. And you can use any oily fleshy fish.