Jessie’s Special Steamed Whole Fish

In many Asian cultures it’s a common tradition to serve a whole fish on Lunar New Year. It’s a symbol of good luck, as the Mandarin word for fish sounds similar to the word for “having extra.” Having fish every year means abundance will come your way, spilling over from one year to the next.

Steaming a whole fish might seem intimidating, but I promise it’s much easier than you think. Instead of using a steaming rack or basket, I cook the whole fish over a bed of onions, ginger, and scallions in a large lidded skillet. The big pile of aromatics not only flavors the fish, it also keeps it from touching the bottom of the pan without the need for a steaming rack. The onions become soft and jammy as the fish steams, resulting in plenty of fragrant broth to serve alongside. Serve the fish with steamed white rice, a rice dish (such as my Mushroom YouFan), or noodles. —Jessie YuChen

See Jessie’s recipes for Mushroom YouFan and Mochi-Stuffed Jujubes (Soft Hearts) to complete your Lunar New Year feast, and read about their favorite Lunar New Year traditions here.