• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
CASA Veneracion

CASA Veneracion

Connie Veneracion Cooks Modern Filipino

  • Devour Asia
  • Aging Like Wine
  • Flavors of Chicken
  • Search
  • Recipes
    • Salads
    • Superb Soups
    • Main Courses
      • Rice Bowl Meals
      • Mighty Meaty
      • Chicken, Duck & Turkey
      • Cooked With Vegetables
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Meatless
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Bread & Breakfast
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Sweets & Desserts
  • Devour Asia
  • Aging Like Wine
  • About Us
  • Privacy
  • Search
  • Salads
  • Soups
  • Main Courses
    • Rice Bowl Meals
    • Chicken, Duck & Turkey
    • Mighty Meaty
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Cooked With Vegetables
    • Meatless
  • Sides
  • Breakfast
  • Noodles
  • Rice
  • Sweets
You are here: Home / Fish & Seafood / Steamed fish head with salted black beans

Steamed fish head with salted black beans

A lot of people think that once they’ve tried dimsum, their experience is complete. But, no. There are over 2,000 dimsum dishes served globally and no singular restaurant or teahouse serves all of them. And among those that serve dimsum, new dishes are added occasionally. A few weeks back, for instance, my husband and I had lunch at Causeway Seafood Restaurant and we chanced upon a dimsum item that we had never seen there before — steamed fish head salted black beans.

Steamed fish head with salted black beans | casaveneracion.com

It’s hard to explain our reaction upon seeing the chopped fish head, bones and all, in the steamer basket. We were intrigued, excited and apprehensive all at the same time. We’ve always boiled our fish head to make soup dishes. And that means submerging the fish head in water with every imaginable aromatic. Will steaming enable the fish meat to absorb seasonings and spices? Of course, we ordered it if only to satisfy our curiosity. 

Our apprehension was uncalled for and our excitement turned to approval after a few mouthfuls. The steamed fish head was sublime. As far as I could tell, the ingredients were very basic — salted (fermented) black beans ginger, garlic, chili and sesame seed oil.

This is my version. I used a whole head of talakitok (trevally); you can opt for some other fish so long as the head is large enough to contain a substantial amount of gelatinous skin which is what really makes this dish delicious.

Steamed fish head with salted black beans

Steamed fish head with salted black beans
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4
Author: Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

  • 1 whole fish head (gills and fins cut off), about 800 grams, chopped into 8 to 10 portions
  • 1 tablespoon grated garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 chilis finely chopped
  • 2 heaping tablespoons fermented black beans
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
  • 1 leek stalk thinly sliced
  • salt optional

Instructions

  • Place the fish head pieces in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands, working the seasonings and spices into the fish flesh. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  • Arrange the fish pieces in 2 to 3 shallow heatproof bowls. Top with leeks. Sprinkle with salt, if you like. Steam over briskly boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Serve hot by itself or with rice.
Do you like seriously Asian food?Check out Devour.Asia!

If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.

Chicken salpicao sprinkled with sliced scallions

Chicken Salpicao

Pork, mushrooms and green beans adobo in serving plate

Pork, Mushrooms and Green Beans Adobo

Tilapia escabeche (Filipino sweet sour fish)

Tilapia Escabeche

Pork Spring Rolls (Lumpiang Shanghai)

Lumpiang Shanghai

How to Cook Okra Guisado

Okra Guisado

Spicy pompano and green papaya soup

Pompano and Green Papaya Soup

11/30/2009 : See more in Fish & Seafood, Chinese & Chinese-inspired, Keto (Low Carb), Low Fat, Offal

About Connie Veneracion

Hello and welcome! I'm a retired lawyer and columnist, wife for 29 years, mom of two, and a passionate cook. What is this blog about? Recipes for dishes we have cooked at home since 2003.

Previous Post: « Burgers with ginger and five spice powder Burgers with ginger and five spice powder
Next Post: Fish and corn fritters Fish and corn fritters »

Sidebar

RSS Devour Asia

  • Chicken Katsu Curry
  • Salmon Teriyaki
  • Vietnamese Pork and Pineapple Stir Fry (Muc Xao Khom)

RSS Aging Like Wine

  • Easy Tasty Risotto for Home Cooks
  • How to Choose and Use a Cocktail Muddler
  • Homemade Slow Cooker Corned Beef

RSS Flavors of Chicken

  • Chinese-inspired Lemon Orange Chicken
  • Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Chicken and Beans Soup
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Search

Everything © Connie, Speedy, Sam & Alex Veneracion. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.