It doesn’t get much healthier than steamed fish. I love the clean simple flavours of this dish.
Steamed Fish with Soy & Ginger
Ingredients
- 1 golf ball sized hunk of fresh ginger
- 2 white fish fillets
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 red chilli peppers finely sliced
- lime halves to serve
- 1 bunch coriander (cilantro) to serve
Instructions
- Heat about 2cm (1in) water in a large pot. Finely slice ginger. Chop some into matchsticks so you have about 1 tablespoon of matchsticks. Leave the remainder as slices.
- Place the ginger slices (save the matchsticks for later) in the base of a steamer or strainer. Place fish on top of ginger. Making sure the 2 fish fillets aren’t touching.
- Pop the steamer / strainer on top of the boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 4-6 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakes when touched with your finger.
- Meanwhile, combine soy, chilli and ginger matchsticks in a small bowl.
- When the fish is cooked transfer to 2 plates and pour over the soy & ginger dressing. Serve with lime and coriander.
Leftover Potential?
Will keep in the fridge for a few days. Be careful when reheating not to overcook the fish.
Variations
soy-free – replace the soy sauce with 2 tablespoons each fish sauce and lime juice.
no steamer? – just pan fry the fish in a little oil and serve with the dressing.
steamed chicken – replace the fish fillets with chicken breasts or thigh fillets. Best to chop the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they cook more quickly. Will take more in the 10-15 minute time frame. Make sure the chicken is totally cooked through.
vegetarian / vegan – try steamed eggplant. Replace the fish with a medium eggplant sliced crosswise into rounds about 1cm (1/2in) thick until the eggplant is super soft and silky. Steamed tofu or tempeh will also work.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with steamed rice.
more substantial (low carb) – serve with cauliflower or zucchini ‘rice’.
paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) – use coconut aminos instead of soy.
more veg – serve with steamed Asian greens.
carnivore – replace fish with chicken breast fillets.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
ginger, chillies – keep in the fridge for months. or freeze.
fish fillets – cooking the fish will allow it to keep in the fridge for a few days. For longer freeze it.
soy sauce – pantry
lime – keeps in the fridge in a plastic bag for months.
coriander (cilantro) leaves – can be frozen or use to make a coriander pesto or coriander oil.
Problem Solving Guide
too salty – if the soy is too intense, water it down with a splash of water or a little lime juice.
fish tough / rubbery / mushy – all signs of overcooked fish. Next time check earlier in the steaming process.
fish not cooking on the bottom – the ginger can block the steam to the fish so you might like to move the ginger out of the way or turn the fish over about half way.
Serving Suggestions
Lovely as a super healthy meal with steamed Asian greens, steamed rice, or cauliflower ‘rice’. Or serve as part of a Thai banquet.
back to: Healthy Thai Cooking Overview
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Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Hi Jules,
Please update this recipe so I can bring it to my New Favorites. Thank you!
Gay
All done Gay!
Let me know if you have any others 🙂
This is delicious! I’m definitely making this again.
Great Nadia!
Thanks for letting me know… It’s really helpful to get feedback on my recipe 🙂
Jx
What type of red chilies do you use? Those I find in Colorado tend to be very hot 🙂
I usually use small red Thai chillies that are pretty hot… But we like our heat.
Removing the seeds always helps soften the heat if you find your chillies too much… or just use less. Cooking with chilli is always a bit of an art!
Jx
Made the sauce but dry fried the fish instead of steamed as was using the steamer for the veggies. Was still delicious though. Got a bit thumbs up from the hubby!
Yay Meriel!
Nice bit of adaptation 🙂
Jx
This is a perfect recipe – just enough pantry ingredients to make it a regular weeknight meal.
The steamed fish with soy and ginger was so easy I couldn’t help but make the soy-free sauce as well, just to compare. Alas! I like them both and couldn’t settle on a favorite. Since I didn’t plan a side (and I can’t wait to make cauliflower ‘rice’ another day; today no extra time), I threw a handful of mushrooms into the steamer along with the fish. I thought the whole meal turned out good even though I wondered if everything was going to taste the same.
Jules, I just gotta say thanks! I cook a lot because I enjoy it, and now (at 60) I see it getting easier, faster, more efficient, still delicious. I’m glad to be here.
Thanks for sharing Gay!
And so glad you liked it.
The cauliflower rice hardly takes any time at all… just getting the food processor out and a little chopping… it’s so much quicker than steaming rice 🙂
Jx
ps. Great to know this is good without the soy too..