Steamed Flounder with Black Mushrooms & Ham
Submitted by Roguemeister
Whole flounder scored and stuffed with ginger, ham, and Chinese black mushrooms, steamed and finished with a soy-rice wine sauce. An elegant Cantonese-style steamed fish ready in 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is restaurant-level Cantonese cooking that happens to be surprisingly doable at home.
A whole flounder gets scored on both sides and rubbed with rice wine, sesame oil, and salt. Then slices of ginger, ham, and rehydrated black mushrooms are tucked into each slash, turning the fish into a stunning presentation before it even hits the steamer.
Eight to ten minutes of steam and it’s done. A quick sauce of chicken broth, rice wine, soy, and sesame oil gets thickened with cornstarch and poured over the fish at the table.
Chef Tips
- Score the fish at one-inch intervals on both sides so the seasonings penetrate and it cooks evenly
- Soak dried Chinese mushrooms in boiling water for a full hour so they’re completely tender
- Steam for just 8 to 10 minutes; oversteaming makes flounder dry and rubbery
- Use toasted Chinese sesame oil (not the light kind) for that signature nutty aroma
- Transfer the fish to a warmed platter so it stays hot when the sauce goes on
Ingredients
Directions
Fill a pan with 2½ cups water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.
Meanwhile, drain mushrooms, squeeze dry and remove stems.
With a Chinese cleaver or large knife score fish at one-inch intervals on both sides, making 8 slashes in all, 4 on each side.
In a small bowl combine salt, rice wine and sesame oil, stirring to combine flavors.
Rub all over fish, working some into slashes as well.
Insert one slice each of ginger and ham and one mushroom into each incisio n.
Place fish on a heat-proof plate small enough to fit in steamer, leaving some steaming holes uncovered.
Cover and steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
Prepare sauce: In a saucepan combine sauce ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a simmer.
Whisk cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water to a slurry.
Whisk into sauce mixture, stirring until thickene d.
Transfer steamed fish to a warmed serving platter and pour sauce over.
Serve immediately.
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