Steamed Red Garoupa, Hong Kong Style Recipe

Score and season the fish

Rinse the garoupa inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Make 3 diagonal shallow slashes on each side of the fish (about 1 cm deep) to help heat penetrate and flavors infuse. Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon white pepper evenly over the exterior and cavity. Pour 1 tablespoon cooking wine into the cavity and rub gently; discard any excess liquid.

Place the fish on a heatproof plate slightly larger than the fish so juices collect and steam can circulate. Set aside while you prepare aromatics and sauce.

Prepare ginger and scallions

Peel the ginger. Julienne about 30 g of the ginger into thin matchsticks (fine batons). Reserve remaining ginger (about 10 g) sliced thin for the cavity. Cut 3 scallions into 6–7 cm lengths and then split lengthwise to create long thin ribbons; reserve 1 scallion for finely sliced rounds as garnish.

Tuck the sliced ginger into the fish cavity and spread a few ginger matchsticks into the slashes on both sides. Lay the long scallion ribbons under and on top of the fish to flavor while steaming. If using chili or cilantro, thinly slice the chili and reserve cilantro leaves for garnish after steaming.

Make the soy sauce mixture

In a small bowl combine 4 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 60 ml chicken stock (or water). Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and mix. Taste briefly — the sauce should be savory with a hint of sweetness and lightly saline; adjust light soy by up to 1 tbs if you prefer saltier.

Pour about half of this sauce (reserve the remainder) evenly around the fish on the plate, not directly on top of the fish, so the flavors steam into the fish but the surface doesn’t become soggy.

Heat the steamer

Set up a wok or large pot with a steaming rack or an electric steamer. Fill with water to just below the rack and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

When the water is boiling, carefully place the plate with the prepared fish onto the rack. Cover and steam. Steam time: for a whole fish about 1–1.2 kg, steam 10–12 minutes from the time water returns to a full boil (approx. 8–10 minutes per kg; adjust ±2 minutes depending on thickness). Do not over-steam — fish is done when the flesh flakes easily and the eye is clear and slightly protruding.

Turn off the heat and keep covered for 1–2 minutes to let carryover cooking finish.

Prepare aromatics and hot oil

While the fish is steaming, arrange the reserved julienned ginger matchsticks and sliced scallion rounds on a serving plate (or keep some scallion ribbons to place on the fish). In a small saucepan heat 60 ml neutral oil until it is just smoking (about 180–200°C / 350–400°F) — you should see faint wisps of smoke and the oil shimmering. Be careful not to burn the oil.

When the fish is done and still on its steaming plate, carefully pour the remaining soy sauce mixture over the top of the fish. Scatter the julienned ginger and the thin scallion ribbons over the fish. Immediately and carefully drizzle the hot oil over the ginger and scallions — the sizzling will release their aroma and slightly wilt them. This step crisps the ginger edges and blooms the scallion fragrance.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and thinly sliced red chili if using. Serve immediately with steamed rice.