My family is Cantonese, from Guangdong and Hong Kong, where fish dishes are steamed or fried and almost never spicy, like this Cantonese Steamed Fish. But with a more diverse mix of Chinese emigrating to the US, going out for Chinese food can be a new experience at each restaurant you try. We first tried this dish at a Sichuan place in NJ where they use a whole fresh croaker which by the way, is a surprisingly great tasting and economically priced fish.
We have since made it often at home using a fresh whole croaker and also with fillets. For convenience and easy preparation, I like to use tilapia or flounder fillets, which is what this recipe calls for.
This steamed spicy fish is a snap to make and really tasty. Just steam the fish filet, make the minced vegetable spicy bean sauce, pour it right over and there you have it! It’s really an authentic Dou Ban Yu recipe made with the fillet of your choice and really easy to prepare!
Even Sarah, who shies away from any and all seafood except for maybe sushi and the occasional cream cheese and lox bagel, enjoys this recipe. The recipe makes a healthy amount of sauce, which you’re definitely going to want with your rice.
Other fish recipes we have on the blog include the spicy Duo Jiao Yu which we make with tofu and if you like Shanghai style food, the Hong Shao Yu or braised red-cooked fish.
Steamed Fish with Spicy Bean Sauce: Recipe Instructions
Steam the fish, drain and put on plate. See this Cantonese Steamed Fish recipe for more details on how to cook your fish. You should also see our post on how to set up a steamer if you’re not familiar with steaming foods in Chinese cooking.
While the fish is steaming, prep the vegetables and have your pork (if using) ready for cooking. We decided to make a vegetarian version of the sauce.
Mix 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch into a slurry mixture and set aside. Measure out shaoxing wine, bean sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat wok to high and add 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic and onion. Stir for a minute and quickly add the rest of the vegetables and pork. Stir-fry for another minute. Add your prepared sauce and stir.
Add your water and bring to a simmer.
Thicken the mixture with the cornstarch slurry until is coats a spoon. Add more water if it’s too thick or more slurry if it’s too thin. Stir in a teaspoon of oil to finish the sauce and pour the sauce over the steamed fish. Garnish with cilantro and scallion and serve immediately.
Questions? Comments? Let us know in the comment section below.
Fish with Spicy Bean Sauce (Douban Yu)
Ingredients
- 1 large fish filet (tilapia or flounder, about 1 pound/450g)
- ¼ cup shiitake mushrooms (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup carrot (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup red pepper (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup ground pork (optional)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon spicy bean sauce (doubanjiang)
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground white pepper
- Oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon scallions (chopped)
Instructions
- Steam the fish, drain and put on plate. See this Cantonese Steamed Fish recipe for more details on how to cook your fish.
- While the fish is steaming, prep the vegetables and have your pork ready for cooking. Mix 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch into a slurry mixture and set aside. Measure out shaoxing wine, bean sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat wok to high and add 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic and onion. Stir for a minute and quickly add the rest of the vegetables and pork. Stir-fry for another minute. Add your prepared sauce and stir. Add your water and bring to a simmer.
- Thicken the mixture with the cornstarch slurry until is coats a spoon. Add more water if it's too thick or more slurry if it's too thin. Stir in a teaspoon of oil to finish the sauce and pour the sauce over the steamed fish. Garnish with cilantro and scallion and serve immediately.
Delicious dish and a good rotation counterpart to the 20 minute Cantonese steamed fish! Similar cooking technique, but the piquant doubanjiang and minced vegetables (plus pork, which is always welcome!) add a great touch. Perfect when paired with a simple green vegetable.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I know it might not be the most attention-grabbing for readers who are unfamiliar with the dish, but I saw it and knew immediately that I had to try it. My Chinese mom was so surprised I had learned to make it! All the veggies make it a hearty (and nutritious) meal, and the sauce is bright and flavorful. I loved it!
You’re welcome Sophia and glad you enjoyed it!
I made this yesterday with super fresh rockfish fillets and it was so good! And so easy! Took a total of like 10 minutes by chopping all the veggies in a food processor. Will definitely do it again!
Hi Sharon, good idea to use the food processor, because most of the work in Chinese cooking is the chopping and preparation ;-)
Mine looked pretty much like yours. But my bean sauce is ancient, from my Washington DC days, 6 years ago. Also, mine is the the Lee Kum Kee brand but mine says Spicy Bean Sauce and not Chili Bean Sauce. Is there a difference? Or was it just a change of name? And do you think the sauce can lose some of its flavor with age? I keep it in the refrigerator. We live in Florida now, and everything goes in the refrigerator! I did not have shitakes, but I had dried ones and just soaked them some. I liked it but it was not stellar. I’ll bet it was the old sauce and dried mushrooms. I’m going to buy a new jar, somewhere, and try it again. It’s an easy, low fat recipe! Thank you.
Hi Alene, recently, there are much tastier doubanjiang brands imported from China and sold at Chinese grocery stores. They are more flavorful and a littler chunkier in texture with visible pieces of bean and dried peppers. You do have to be careful about not adding too much, since they are quite salty.
Hello, will the flavor of the dish be similar if I use non spicy doubanjiang instead of the spicy version? My family in general is averse to spicier foods. Thanks.
Hi Ren, sorry we missed your comment – you can use the non-spicy version and although it won’t be the same without the spicy doubanjiang, it will still be tasty.
Hi, can you use Salmon in this recipe?
Hi Ausgirl, salmon is not a popular fish for Chinese steamed dishes. Usually a lighter white fish is preferred. That said, if you prefer salmon, give it a try, because I think it will still be tasty!