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By
The Lucky Dragon Supper Club
Abstract
No Lunar New Year feast is complete without a whole fish on the table as it is intended to bring prosperity and wealth into the new year.
In Cantonese the word for fish is yu (魚) which is a homophone for the word surplus (余), and we have a saying: nin nin yau yu, which sounds like every year have fish but can translate to every year have surplus. We also have the fish whole as it represents abundance for the year ahead. While a dish tied to special occasions, it is a low effort high impact dish – one that can be enjoyed throughout the year. For us, it is a weeknight hit.
This dish is about showcasing the delicious flavour of fresh fish with very few ingredients. You can use any white fish like snapper, barramundi, or ocean trout. The fresher the fish, the more impactful the flavour so pick one local and in season for you. To make sure you find a fresh fish look for clear glassy eyes, bouncy skin with scales intact, bright red gills, and a fresh sea smell. Don’t forget that you can ask your fishmonger to gut and descale the fish for you to save you the time and hassle.
We recommend getting your hands on seasoned soy sauce for seafood as it will add greater umami.
Your fish will need to fit in your steaming equipment – we use a 38cm wok with a 26cm plate on a steaming rack. If your serving plate is too big to fit in your steaming vessel, you can cut the fish in half, placing it into a smaller plate for steaming. Arrange the fish back to its original shape on your serving platter before you pour on the sauce and hot oil.Read More
