INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole lapu-lapu (or grouper, garoupa, rock cod) weighing about 1 kilo, gutted and descaled
- 5 (Asian) leeks, sliced on the diagonal
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine or sherry)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine or sherry)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper
- 2 tablespoons rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4-5 green onions, sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro
- Make your sauce: Mix all the ingredients for the Cantonese Style Steamed Fish Sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Heat a small saucepan over medium to low heat. Stir in the sauce and blend well. Once the sauce starts to bubble and boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.
- In the bottom of a large baking dish (preferably one with a cover) that will fit the whole fish, strew the leeks, placing more in the middle. Arrange a few of the lemon and ginger slices in the middle of the pan as well (leaving some to dress the actual fish). This is where the fish will rest upon.
- Place the fish atop the leeks, ginger, and lemon. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the remaining lemon. Divide the remaining ginger between stuffing the cavity and laying on top of the fish. I also like to take some of the cilantro sprigs (which we will use after the fish is cooked) and stuff those into the cavity as well. Drizzle the fish with the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and the sesame oil. Now look at the bottom of your pan. We need to have enough liquid to coat the bottom of the pan/dish with an even layer, not a lot though. Ideally you will have your fish raised up on the veg/aromatics and the bottom of the pan covered in a slick of just about 2 mm of liquid.
- Cover the baking dish and cook in a pre-heated 375F over for about 25 minutes (could be more or less) or until done (when the flesh flakes easy when pierced with a small knife).
- When the fish is done, lift it out of the baking dish and onto a serving platter. Remove the ginger from the top of the fish. Pile the green onions and cilantro on top of the fish. Pour the Cantonese Style Steamed Fish Sauce over the whole lot and serve!
