A Chinese seafood dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 2
Active time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min

Organic sourcing

Ginger and scallions benefit from being organic as they can have pesticide residues. Fish quality is paramount, but organic availability varies.

Ingredients

• 1 whole white fish (e.g., sea bass or snapper), about 600 g, cleaned and scaled
• 2 tbsp good-quality soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
• to taste sea salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer.
2. Drizzle the fish with the soy sauce, rice wine, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread the julienned ginger over the fish.
4. Fill a wok or large pot with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Place the steamer over the boiling water.
5. Steam the fish for about 10-15 minutes or until the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
6. While the fish is steaming, heat the olive oil in a small pan until hot but not smoking.
7. Once the fish is done, remove the plate from the steamer. Top with scallions and optional chili.
8. Drizzle the hot oil over the fish, ginger, and scallions to release their aroma just before serving.

Notes

• For a milder dish, omit the chili.
• Use sherry instead of rice wine if unavailable.
• Pair with steamed rice or sautéed greens.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Chinese recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.