How to Make Beautiful and Delicious Steamed Snakehead Fish with Soy Sauce Using a Stainless Steel Steamer, Just Like at a Restaurant

How to prepare Steamed Barramundi with Soy Sauce

• 1

  Prepare the barramundi

  You can ask the seller to prepare the live barramundi by scaling, cutting off the fins and tail, removing the gills, and gutting it to remove the internal organs first. When you bring the fish home, you only need to clean the stomach of the fish once more.

  From the longitudinal line in the middle of the fish’s belly, use a sharp knife to make a straight cut from this part down to the tail. To deal with the belly bone, flip the belly of the fish up, then use the knife to make two cuts along the backbone, severing the bone connecting the belly and the fish body.

  On the outside of the fish, make two vertical cuts about 2 cm away from the backbone. Next, make two more cuts close to the backbone. This method helps the fish cook beautifully and makes it easy to separate the meat after steaming.

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the other ingredients

  For the ginger, you will peel it and slice it into thin pieces, taking a little bit to julienne. For the green onions, cut the roots and leaves separately; slice the roots diagonally and fold the leaves to julienne.

  For the chilis, cut them in half, remove the seeds, and then julienne them as well. For the garlic, peel and slice it thinly.

  You will put 1/2 of the julienned ginger, green onions, and chilis into a bowl, adding a little water to soak for 5 – 10 minutes to soften the ingredients and curl them slightly, making them visually appealing for decoration.

  

  

  
• 3

  Marinate the fish

  Place the fish in a large bowl, add a bit of the julienned ginger and green onions on top. Then, pour beer into the bowl, using the ginger and onions to rub the beer all over the surface of the fish, paying special attention to the slits. Next, stuff the ginger and onions into the fish’s belly to enhance the flavor, then let the fish marinate for 10 minutes.

  Tip: Rubbing the fish with the mixture of ginger, onions, and beer not only helps eliminate the fishy smell effectively but also makes the fish meat after steaming become white, fragrant, tender, and juicier.

  After marinating, discard all the ginger and onions and place the fish in a colander to drain.

  

  

  
• 4

  Steam fish

  First, you place a steamer pot on the stove and add water to boil.

  You prepare a large plate, layering slices of ginger and scallions underneath to create a base. Then, place the fish on top, brush a thin layer of oil over the fish skin, and add some slices of ginger and scallions evenly on the fish. Place the plate of fish into the steamer once the water is boiling, and steam over medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

  

  
• 5

  Make the sauce

  You prepare a bowl of mixed seasonings including: 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sugar, stirring until dissolved.

  Put a pan on the stove and add 1 tablespoon of canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced scallion roots and garlic, sautéing until fragrant, then pour in the sauce mixture, reduce the heat, and stir well. Cook until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens slightly, then turn off the heat and pour the mixture through a strainer to filter out the sauce.

  

  

  
• 6

  Final Product

  After steaming the fish, remove the scallions and ginger from the top of the fish, drizzle the soy sauce evenly over it, then add the finely chopped scallions, chili, and soaked ginger on top for decoration.

  For a more visually appealing dish and enhanced aroma, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil until boiling and drizzle the oil all over the fish.

  Steamed barramundi with soy sauce is best enjoyed hot, served with white rice or wrapped in rice paper with fresh vegetables. The tender, sweet fish combined with the rich sauce will be an enticing dish for family meals.