Steamed fish part 1: Porgies with Thai chili, garlic and lime sauce
I'd never steamed a fish before tonight. But as I was stuck in traffic on Central Avenue listening to talk of tears and elections on the radio, it occurred to me that tonight was the night. I don't know why, these things just seem to happen from time to time.
Usually it is best to put such urges right back where they came from, but this one refused to budge. I was tired after a day at the office. There were three hungry children waiting for me at home. Did I mention the part about never having steamed a fish before? No matter. This was the night, or so it seemed as I pulled into the Asian Market on Colvin Avenue in Albany.
I picked out the two biggest porgies I could find and then threw some Thai eggplant into my basket. I had no idea what to do with them, but, hey, that was shaping up to be the theme of the evening.
When I got home I dug out the large steamer (the one I'd bought months earlier but never used) from the garage. Chinese or Thai, Chinese or Thai? Which way to go? Several months back a Chinese woman I know had told me her family's recipe for steamed fish with ginger and scallions. But then on my last trip to Boston, I'd had a delicious steamed fish with garlic, chili and lime sauce. hummmm......
I decided to make both. Once you are steaming, what is an extra sauce or two? Plus, I was worried the Thai sauce would be too spicy for my kids.
Here is the Thai steamed fish. I will tell you about the Chinese one tomorrow.
Steamed whole fish with garlic, chili, and lime sauce
Note: You will need a big steamer for this. (Or a wok with a rack for steaming, but I've never done it that way.) The steamer should be wide enough to put a whole fish on a plate inside and still have room for the steam to come up around the plate. You can buy these at most Asian grocery stores. I bought mine at the Asian Market on Colvin Avenue in Albany.
(If you don't have a steamer, it might work to bake it covered in the oven, I haven't tried that, though.)
Ingredients:
1 large porgy (or one medium red snapper, or whatever else you like)
For sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs lemon grass, minced
3 Serrano chilies
several leaves (5-10) of Thai basil chopped fine
juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
2 tsp brown sugar (or white, it doesn't make a big difference)
1 cup chicken broth
For garnish
3 scallions, whites only chopped fine
handful of cilantro, chopped fine
Instructions:
Was fish well in salt water. (I let it soak for 30 minutes if I have the time.) Rinse and pat dry. Score the fish two or three times on each side so the sauce can get to more of the fish.
Combine sauce ingredients.
Put fish on deep, heat-proof plate. Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over the fish. Make sure the seasoning get inside the open slices and the middle.
Put a few inches of water in the bottom of the steamer and heat. Then put the plate in the steamer and cover. Steam for about 10 minutes, or until fish turns white and starts to flake. Use a wide spatula to remove the fish from the plate. Put it on a deep serving platter. Top with the scallions and cilantro. Then pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Serve with Jasmine rice and roasted Thai eggplant.
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Comments
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmm! We're trying that asap! Do you use a bamboo steamer or a metal one?
- by Tania on Jan 9, 2008 at 10:43 AM | link
So, now I am wondering - do Porgies taste like Red Snapper? I have nothing but irrationality preventing me from trying porgies, but if they're like snapper I will have to give them a whirl.
- by Albany Jane on Jan 9, 2008 at 11:25 AM | link
Yummy! I bet that will taste fantastic with a glass of Gewurztraminer!
Kathleen Lisson
- by Kathleen Lisson on Jan 9, 2008 at 1:51 PM | link
I actually prefer porgies to red snapper. They are one of my favorite fish. They have really big ones at the Asian market on Colvin. They usually have them at the Cousins, but they are smaller so you have to pick more bones.
I usually roast them or grill them, but now I'm into steaming too.
- by celinabean on Jan 10, 2008 at 10:31 AM | link
Great recipe. Will have to try it sometime.
A few years ago, my mom taught me a neat trick, and it's the way I've been steaming my fish since. After preparing and seasoning the fish in a wide porcelain or glass bowl, wrap the top tightly with saran wrap and put the whole thing in the microwave. Heat for 4 minutes, open the door of the microwave to let some of the heat out, close and then heat another 4 minutes. The fish comes out just as if you've steamed it, flaky and soft. Times can be adjusted depending on the microwave. Best part of all, no need to wash that big steamer pot.
- by josie on Jun 23, 2008 at 2:45 PM | link