Whole Steamed Fish

Method - Prepare your herb plates: This recipe uses cilantro, herbs and ginger in three places: the fish will rest on, be stuffed with, and garnished with the herbs and aromatics. To avoid cross contamination, set out two plates to divide the herbs, ginger and scallions for cooking and for garnishing.

Method - Prep the ginger: Cut about 1 inch of unpeeled ginger into 1/8-inch thick coins. Smash the unpeeled coins with the side of a knife blade or with the bottom of a small heavy skillet. Set the smashed ginger coins aside on a small plate. You will use these for cooking. Peel the remaining 1 1/2-inch long piece of ginger. Slice it lengthwise into long thin planks, about 1/16-inch thick or as thin as possible. Stack a couple of the planks and thinly slice lengthwise, enough to yield about 1 tablespoon of thin matchsticks, or juliennes. Place the julienned ginger on another small plate and set aside. This is your garnish plate.

Method - Cut the scallions: Cut the scallions into 2-inch long pieces. Stack the scallion pieces on top of each other and thinly slice lengthwise, enough to yield about 1/3 cup of thinly sliced scallions. Place two-thirds of the scallions on the plate with the smashed coins and the remaining third on the plate with the julienned ginger.

Method - Set aside cilantro: Divide the cilantro between the cooking plate the garnish plate.

Method - Set up your steamer: Inside a large wok, place a metal steam rack. Add about 1-inch of water, to the wok. Cover the wok with a large domed lid and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Have extra water on hand nearby to replenish if necessary. Eventually, you will place the pie plate (or plate) with the fish on the steam rack.

Method - Prep the fish: If the fish still has its fins, use kitchen shears to trim off all but the tail fin. Run your fingers along the skin to feel for and pull off any overlooked scales. Rinse the fish, inside and out, with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Method - Score the fish: Lay the fish flat on a cutting board. Score the fish by slicing 3 evenly spaced parallel cuts at a slight angle, crosswise, through the flesh until the knife blade hits bone. Start the first cut right after where the head meets the body, then two more slices in the meatier section of the fish. Flip the fish over and repeat on the other side.

Method - Season the fish: Sprinkle the fish and its cavity with salt and pepper, making sure to get inside the flesh where it's scored.

Method - Stuff the fish: Use the plate of herbs set aside for cooking to stuff the cavity of the fish with a 3 or 4 ginger coins, 3 to 4 scallion batons, and 3 to 4 sprigs of cilantro. Scatter half of the remaining smashed ginger, scallion batons, and cilantro into the 9-inch glass pie plate. Place the fish on top of the herbs in the dish, then scatter with the remaining ginger coins, scallion batons, and cilantro sprigs over the fish. Splash the fish with the Shaoxing wine.

Method - Steam the fish: Check to make sure there's still plenty of water in the wok. Add more if necessary, and return to a boil. Carefully place the pie plate onto the steamer rack and cover the wok. Steam until the fish is cooked through and the flesh is white and flakes easily with a butter knife at its meatiest section, about 12 minutes. If the flesh is not flaky yet, cover and cook a couple of minutes longer.

Method - Prep the sauce and hot oil: While the fish is cooking, in a small bowl combine the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar; set aside. Add the oil to a small saucepan.

Method - Finish the dish: When the fish is cooked through, carefully remove the pie plate from the wok. Remove the herbs from on top of the fish and inside of the cavity. Use two metal offset or fish spatulas to carefully transfer the fish to a clean platter. Using the plate of herbs set aside for garnish. Scatter the julienned ginger, scallions, and remaining cilantro over the fish. Set the saucepan with oil over medium-high heat, but keep an eye on it. You want the oil to be very hot and shimmering, but not smoking, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour the hot oil over the fish and fresh herbs. Add the sauce from the small bowl to the same saucepan the oil was in and heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour the sauce around the fish.

Method - Serve: This is not a dish that holds well. Serve immediately, preferably with plenty of steamed rice to soak up all that sauce.