Recipe: Steamed Sea Bass

I'm still unpacking my London boxes and building bookshelves. In getting married, The Boy and I have also instituted the union of our substantial libraries. So to Ikea it was, with a good friend and his truck. These are fantastic.

Am also in the process of rebuilding my chinese kitchen in Houston, TX. Thanks to a Korean colleague of The Boy's, we discovered H-Mart - a giant Asian grocery store where the produce is always spring-time fresh and, most importantly, cheaper than Central Market (which is wonderful as well), even Kroger (e.g. a bunch of Kroger cilantro goes for 99c; for $1, I can get 4 bunches at H-Mart).

Also, I realised that, with all my travelling and cooking for various friends and family, I needed to find a way to take my recipes with me. Unbeknownst then, I had already created a portable recipe book really with this blog. Which makes me wonder whether this blog is going to morph again, as its author moves on in life.

I've also compiled a list of recipes that we eat regularly. I've tagged them "family menu" here for convenience. One of them is a recipe for Steamed Sea Bass, courtesy of an elderly lady I once knew in London, and whose hospitability meant that I often graced her table for homecooked chinese food when I was homesick. I hope this blesses someone out there too.


RECIPE: Steamed Sea Bass

Ginger, sliced
Ginger, julienned
Scallions, cut into 1 inch stalks
Scallions, julienned
Fresh chilli, julienned
Salt
Oil

Sauce:
1 tbsp light soya sauce (Lee Kum Kee carries one specially for seafood)
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine or Vermouth
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp water
white pepper (optional)

1. Layer one layer of ginger and scallions on a plate. Place fish over. Steam for 8 minutes per pound, but no more than 12 minutes maximum. Remove fish and place on a fresh plate. Sprinkle some salt over to taste.

2. Layer julienned vegetables over fish. Heat oil until smoking. Pour over.

3. Mix sauce and heat to boiling. Pour over.

This is what's on the dinner table tonight. Will post pics!