Whole Steamed Sea Bass or Other Fish

Name: Whole Steamed Sea Bass or Other Fish
Yield: makes 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice or white wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil; One 3- to 5-pound sea bass or red snapper, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; 2 tablespoons peeled and shredded or minced fresh ginger; 4 scallions, trimmed and shredded, for garnish; Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

December 14, 2011

The highlight of many meals in Chinese restaurants, yet few dishes are easier to prepare at home. Start with a medium-sized firm-fleshed fish—black bass and red snapper are ideal, but grouper or, if you can find it, small striped bass, are also good—preferably with its head on (if the head won’t fit in your steamer, cut it off, along with the tail). Scales must be removed and the fish must be thoroughly cleaned; any fishmonger can do this for you. Serve the fish with white rice and, preferably, a few other Chinese dishes.

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