Chinese Style Steamed Fish

My mother in law made a great steamed fish dish for our reunion dinner and I'm going to share it with you today.

Personally, I think Chinese language is a beautiful language. You can describe very complex emotions or situations in 4 very simple words or a simple phrase. If you watch chinese dramas, they often use phrases to describe feelings, emotions etc. It's difficult to understand sometimes but somehow the phrases can just translate the emotions in a very poetic and descriptive way.

There's a Chinese saying " nien nien you yu" which means prosperity/surpluses every year. The yu for this phrase is pronounced the same way as yu for fish. Hence, we often serve fish on special occasions or chinese new year which symbolizes prosperity for the coming year. It's a symbolic thing. But I'm not a supertitious person, I'm a believer that all blessings come from God. I just appreciate the beauty and complexity of Chinese language and its culture. However, I do believe that our tongue is powerful. Whatever comes out of it carries power. So instead of saying "I'm doomed" why don't we say "I'm blessed" or nien nien you yu instead....=)....there's nothing wrong with proclaiming good things for our life.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. Wish all my readers prosperity and joy for the coming year.

Chinese Style Steamed Fish

Ingredients:

• 1 Barramundi weighing around 700 grams or any other fish will do too eg: snapper, tilapia
• 1/4 cup julienned ginger
• 1/2 cup sliced spring onion
• chopped red chilli- optional

Seasoning:

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons rock sugar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
• 2 tablespoons shao tsing wine
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• Extra 1/3 cup shao tsing wine for steaming
• 2 tablespoons oil
  

Methods:

1. Put all ingredients for seasoning in a small saucepan except the extra shao tsing wine and oil. Boil all the seasoning ingredients until sugar is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly
2. Clean the fish and put on top of a plate. Put half of the julienned ginger and spring onion on top of the fish
3. Pour the extra shao tsing wine on the fish and steam for 10 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
4. After you finish steaming, pour away the water collected at the bottom of the plate
5. Pour all of the seasoning mixture on top of the fish and top with the remaining half of the julienned ginger and spring onion
6. Heat up oil and pour on top of the fish. Garnish with chopped red chillies
   
7. Serve with rice