Steamed Whole Red Snapper With Asian Flavors Recipes

Steps:

• Arrange a 9-inch metal cake rack or steamer basket in a 12- to 14-inch wok or a deep 12-inch skillet (with a domed lid) and add enough water to reach just below rack. Cover wok and bring water to a boil.
• Score skin of fish in several places, then put on an oiled heatproof plate that will fit into wok or skillet with 1 inch clearance around plate. Stir together Sherry and salt in a small bowl, then rub mixture onto both sides of fish, leaving skin side up.
• Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté ginger, scallion, and chiles, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds, and spoon over fish. Carefully transfer fish (on plate) to rack in wok and cover tightly, then steam until fish is just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove plate from wok and sprinkle fish with sesame oil.

Steps:

• Sprinkle inside of each fish with salt. Using sharp cleaver or knife, make 4 diagonal slits on 1 side of each fish, spacing equally and cutting to the bone. Insert 1 slice of ginger, 1 slice of garlic and 1 cilantro leaf into each slit. Turn fish over. Make 4 diagonal slits on second side of each fish and insert remaining sliced ginger, sliced garlic and cilantro leaves. Arrange fish in 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; refrigerate).
• Place a slice of ginger and garlic, then a whole cilantro leaf in each slit; they will add flavor to the fish during the steaming process. Hold back the flaps to insert the seasonings more easily.
• Pour enough water into wok or large pot to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Place bottom of 11- to 12-inch-diameter bamboo steamer over water in wok or open a steamer rack and place in pot. Place dish with fish in bamboo steamer (or on steamer rack). Curl tails if necessary to fit.
• The classic Chinese way to cook the fish is in a tiered bamboo steamer set over boiling water in a wok. Pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into the wok.
• If you don't have a bamboo steamer or a wok, you can use a vegetable steamer rack set in a large pot. The pot should be large enough to allow steam to circulate around the glass pie dish that holds the fish.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions into dish around fish. Combine broth and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in cup and pour into dish. Bring water to boil. Cover bamboo steamer (or pot). Steam fish until just opaque in center at bone, about 18 minutes.
• Before steaming, surround the fish with chopped shallots, lemongrass, green onions, and cilantro. Then pour a broth and soy sauce mixture into the dish to flavor the fish as it cooks.
• Meanwhile, combine sesame oil and vegetable oil in heavy medium skillet. Add chopped ginger and chopped garlic, then 2 tablespoons each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions. Stir over medium heat until oil is hot and seasonings are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour seasoned oil into small bowl; add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
• Using oven mitts as aid, transfer dish with fish to work surface. Using large spatula, transfer fish to platter. Spoon juices from dish over fish. Spoon some of seasoned oil over fish. Serve fish with rice; pass remaining seasoned oil.
• You may have to special-order whole fish from the supermarket or fish market.
• ** Available at Southeast Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.

Steps:

• The day before cooking, submerge the garlic in the oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, check the fish for any remaining scales and scrape off, paying special attention to the head and tail. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
• Boil the somen according to the package instructions, rinsing and draining well. While the noodles are still damp, arrange them on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Loosely toss together the celery, carrot, scallions, onion and cilantro leaves in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature (if refrigerated, the hot oil added at the end won't sizzle). In another small bowl, mix the chung choi, ginger and cilantro stems, and stuff 1/2 cup of the mixture inside the fish cavity, including the head. Pat the remaining few tablespoons over both sides of the fish's body.
• Set a steamer rack or other metal rack inside a wok or roasting pan large enough to accomodate the fish and set on the stove, straddling two burners if needed. Have ready the wok's lid or sheets of foil large enough to cover the roasting pan tightly. Add enough water to come up to the rack (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, stack 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold the fish. Turn up and crimp the foil at the edges to create a boat just large enough to fit the fish. The raised edges will catch the drippings, which will make the sauce. Put the foil boat on the rack over the boiling water, then lay the stuffed fish on the foil. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil and let steam for 15 to 18 minutes (6 minutes per pound). Don't lift the lid to check on the fish, as this will cause the temperature to drop. Adjust the temperature as needed if the lid begins to clatter. Uncover and check to see if the fish is done: The eyes should be white and bulging, the mouth slightly agape and a chopstick inserted into the flesh should slide in easily. Turn off the heat.
• Using two long spatulas, gently transfer the fish to the somen platter, laying it on top of the noodles. Lift the foil boat out of the steamer, careful not to spill any sauce, and pour the sauce into a small bowl. Add the oyster sauce and scallop powder (or fish sauce) and stir. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the fish with the vegetable and herb garnish.
• Pour the reserved garlic oil into a small saucepan. Heat over high until the garlic turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic. Slosh the soy sauce over the garnished fish, then carefully pour on the hot garlic oil, letting it sizzle. Serve immediately.