Thursday Bamboo Steamer Fish

Ingredients

• 4 hake or kingklip fillets (about 150 g each), skin off
• 6 large cabbage or Chinese cabbage leaves
• 1 thumb fresh ginger, finely julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 red chilli, sliced into rings
• 4 spring onions, shredded lengthways
• 1 lemon, half sliced and half for squeezing
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sunflower oil
• Sea salt and white pepper
• Fresh coriander, to finish

Method

1. 1

   Line the bamboo steamer basket with the cabbage leaves so the fish never touches the bamboo — this also keeps the fillets moist.

2. 2

   Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and white pepper, and lay the fillets in a single layer on the cabbage.

3. 3

   Scatter over half the ginger, all the garlic, half the chilli and the lemon slices.

4. 4

   Bring a wide pot or wok of water to a rolling boil. Sit the steamer on top, cover, and steam for 8–10 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

5. 5

   While it steams, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves.

6. 6

   Lift the steamer off, remove the lemon slices, and scatter the remaining ginger, chilli and the shredded spring onion over the hot fish.

7. 7

   Heat the sesame and sunflower oil in a small pan until just smoking, then pour it straight over the spring onion — it should sizzle and release all the aroma.

8. 8

   Spoon the soy dressing over, squeeze on the remaining lemon, finish with coriander and serve straight from the basket with steamed rice.