Legume Free Hong Kong Steamed Fish with Ginger & Scallion
Steamed whole fish is one of those dishes that looks stunning on the table but comes together with surprisingly little effort — just fresh aromatics, a light sauce, and a hot wok doing most of the work. The fish is seasoned simply with sea salt and layered over ginger and scallion before steaming, which keeps the flesh incredibly moist and lets the natural sweetness of the fish shine through. Coconut aminos stand in for traditional soy sauce here, delivering that savory, slightly sweet depth without any legume-derived ingredients, so the whole dish is naturally free of soy and bean-based products. The finishing move — pouring shimmering hot coconut oil and warm aminos over the plated fish — creates that signature sizzle and infuses every bite with fragrant ginger and fresh scallion. It's a technique borrowed straight from classic Cantonese cooking, and it genuinely works every single time. Scatter a handful of fresh cilantro over the top if you have it, and you've got a centerpiece dish that feels restaurant-worthy without a single ingredient that needs second-guessing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the fish
- 1 whole white fish (about 1.5 lb / 680g), such as sea bass, snapper, or tilapia, cleaned and scaled
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks, divided
- 3 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, divided
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For serving
- 2 scallions, trimmed and cut into fine julienne strips
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large wok or wide pot with 2 inches of water and set a steaming rack or heatproof plate stand inside. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- 2
Pat the fish dry with paper towels and rub both sides and the cavity with the fine sea salt. Lay half the ginger matchsticks and half the scallion lengths inside the cavity and scatter the remaining ginger matchsticks and scallion lengths on a heatproof serving plate. Set the fish on top of the aromatics on the plate.
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