Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce

5 from 5 votes

Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce

In our Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce recipe, delicate fish (steps for whole fish or fillets!) gets a boost from fermented black beans!

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Total Time40

Course: Fish

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Bill

Ingredients

1 pound fish fillet(s) or one 1-1.25 pound/500-600g whole fish; cleaned
¾ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup hot water
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
2 dried chili peppers (seeds removed and chopped; optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons whole fermented black beans
2½ teaspoons minced fresh garlic
3 tablespoons chopped scallions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place your fish or fish fillet on a heatproof shallow rimmed dish that fits in your wok or steamer. Prepare your steamer setup and heat the water to boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, hot water, white pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and set aside.
Depending upon the size and thickness of your fish, steaming time can vary greatly: 3-5 minutes for thin fillets like flounder or 4-7 minutes for thicker fillets like haddock; 6-8 minutes for smaller whole fish like branzino or 7-10 minutes for larger whole fish like striped bass or black sea bass Steaming can also take longer if your fish is cold out of the refrigerator. Place the fish into the steamer, cover, and set a timer for the lower end of the range of the fish you’re cooking. For example, if using a whole branzino, set the timer to 6 minutes. Adjust the heat so the water is a steady simmer, not a rolling boil.
While the fish is steaming, start your sauce by heating a saucepan over medium heat. Add the neutral oil, dried chopped chili peppers, if using, and minced ginger. Stir for 30 seconds to infuse the oil, then add the fermented black beans. Next, add the garlic and continue stirring for another 30 seconds, until the ginger begins to brown slightly.
Stir up the sauce mixture you prepared earlier, and pour it into the pan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir and bring the sauce to a simmer, then stir in half of the scallions. Turn off the heat and set aside. Resting the sauce allows it settle, giving it a clearer appearance.
Once the timer goes off, use an instant read thermometer to check the fish has reached 140°F/60°C. The fish will continue to residually cook and reach 145°F/63°C for the perfect doneness. You can also insert a butter knife in the thickest part of the fish; if it cuts through easily, it is done! You can also do a visual check. If the fish is opaque, it’s done! For a whole fish, the meat should be opaque but the bone underneath should be slightly translucent. That’s perfectly done!
Next, carefully pour off all of the liquid from the fish plate. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the fish, top with the remaining scallions, and serve!

Video

Notes

Note: Nutrition information will vary depending on type/size of fish used.

Nutrition