Teochew Style Steamed Pomfret

How do you like to have your fish to be cooked?  I like mine steamed.  I feel that a fresh good fish is best eaten steamed, this way the sweetness of the meat can be savoured rightaway, plus this method of cooking is healthy too! Oh, I should also add that it is also easy and fuss-free to prepare too.

I belong to the Teochew dialect group, and being a teochew, I am no stranger to the Teochew steamed fish (潮州蒸). Mum cooks them often since we were young, till now!

I like that there are many ingredients added to this steamed fish dish because I can save on prepping other dishes. Go on and say I am lazy. Everyone has their down and out days and I am no exceptional. I experience those days too, and when I do, I get the easy way out.  I cook real easy dish to pair with rice and that's it. Eat out? Yes, that is another escape route which we turn to sometimes, but homecooked is the preferred. I love feeding my hubby with homecooked food :P

Teochew Style Steamed Pomfret
(Serves 2)

1 medium white pomfret
3 or 4 dried chinese mushrooms (rinsed, soaked and cut into thin strips) - you may reserve the mushroom water for seasoning
2 pcs salted plums (use a spoon to mash it a little, deseed)
1 pc pickled mustard (salted vege/kiam chye) - I used 1 small pack of pickled sichuan vege, rinsed 1 time and drained
1 small pc ginger (thinly sliced into strips)
2 small red chilli (cut into small pcs, remove as much seeds) - optional
Half or 1 box tofu good for steaming (cut into smaller pieces) -
1 medium tomato (washed and sliced thinly)
salt

Garnish
1 stalk spring onions
1 stalk coriander (I did not use)

Seasonings

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp chinese cooking wine/Hua Diao Jiu

A dash of pepper (optional)

3 tbsp water, or more if desired (I used the mushroom water)

1. 30 minutes before putting the fish to steam, make 2 slanted deep cuts on the fish. Rub some salt on both sides of fish. Stuff some ginger into the fish stomach portion. Cover with cling wrap and leave in fridge.

2. Put a steamer or wok filled with enough water for steaming to boil.

3. Sprinkle leftover ginger strips all over the fish. Spoon mashed salted plums on sides of fish, line sides of the fish with tomato slices, tofu slices, pickled vege, sliced chinese mushrooms and lastly sprinkle red chilli evenly.

4. Mix all seasonings together and spoon over fish.

5. Put to steam on high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or till done.

6. Garnish with spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately.