Steamed Rockling With Hot And Spicy Bean Sauce 香辣豆醬蒸魚

Missing home and craving for something from my childhood, the solution - to cook one of my favourite childhood dishes. Despite being up in the hills (Cameron Highlands) away from the sea, we actually had fish on the table almost daily. Be it fresh water fish caught locally in the lakes or fresh seafood transported daily from the lowlands. I remember this being one of the favourite dishes of all the children in the household, I think it has got to do with the delicious and very addictive sauce! Do use a whole fish (bream, seabass, barramundi, snapper) or even try it with scallops. 

P.S This is for my dear friend Makcikmanggis at jom masak, jom makan makan who is constantly looking for new recipes to cook for her family. I think this will be very popular with her family especially Pakcik. Selamat mencuba makcik!

serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal

you'll need;

600 g of rockling or other white fish

2 spring onions, julienne

1 red chili, sliced

1/2 cup of coriander leaves

for the sauce;

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 bird chilies, chopped*

1 long green chili, chopped

5 cm knob of ginger, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

4 tbs of soya bean paste (豆辨醬）

2 tbs of oyster sauce

2 tbs of light soy

2 tbs of sugar

1/3 cup of stock

dash of white pepper

dash of Chinese cooking wine (optional)

* adjust to your taste accordingly

Chop the aromatics for the sauce.

Fry chopped ingredients with some peanut oil for a minute then all in the bean paste and continue to cook for another minute.

Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook til a little syrupy. Don't worry if the sauce taste a little to salty as it will be watered down during the steaming process.

Prepare the toppings and allow the sauce to cool a little.

Place fish in a shallow bowl that would fit in your wok or steamer. Pour the sauce over with half the julienne spring onions and steam on high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Check after 8 minutes to check for doneness.

Add the rest of the toppings and serve it immediately as part of a Chinese meal, make sure you cook plenty of steamed rice for this dish.