Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸魚)

If you love easy and comforting family recipes, you can’t go wrong with Grandma’s Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce! It’s the ultimate side dish – just marinate then steam for a healthy weeknight meal everyone can enjoy. Plus, we’ve made it even EASIER by using a store bought paste that you can pick up to go!

Can’t get enough of these flavors? Try it with pork ribs!

The easiest healthy side dish for dinner

Grandma’s Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce isn’t just a simple recipe for weeknight dinners; it’s one that you’ll love having in your back pocket!

This quick meal is made for those nights where you’ve only got enough time to duck out to the shops and grab a few ingredients. But for this recipe, as soon as you’re home, just set up your steamer and you’re already a few steps away from having dinner on the table!

I honestly can’t fault the cooking process – smother the steaks with a deeply savory paste, create balance using fragrant ginger strips and leave it to steam until the seafood is melt-apart ready.

The flavors in this side dish pack a lot more punch than a classic Cantonese Steamed Fish with Ginger and Shallots (清蒸鱼), and serving it over hot steaming rice will take you right back to your childhood around the family dinner table!

What kind of fish is best for steaming?

When making Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce, the type of seafood you use really depends on your personal preference. Different types of fish will have varying textures and flavors.

For our family, we generally like to use ones that have firmer flesh for a springier bite. So for this recipe, we used grouper. Here are some other firm options:

• Catfish (a popular choice for recipes like Grandma’s Cá Kho Tộ (Vietnamese Braised Fish)
• Ling (we regularly use this in our congee)
• Halibut
• Salmon
• Coral trout
• Cod
• Monkfish
• Swordfish
• Mahi Mahi

Regardless of which type you choose, it’ll taste great as a side dish with ginger and black bean sauce!

All about Chinese black beans (douchi)

What it is

Douchi (pronounced ‘dau si‘ in Cantonese) is a popular ingredient used in Chinese cooking. They’re a form of fermented black soybeans that are made through the processes of fermentation and salting.

You can find them as part of a pre-made sauce or sold whole in packets. Both versions are great for cooking with, as a little can go a long way.

Taste

Due to the fermenting and salting process that the douchi goes through, each bean comes out quite salty. The saltiness can be intense when bitten into, but is complemented by a deep aroma from the bean.

They can also be quite gritty, which is why they’re often paired with dishes of simpler textures.

You can find the ingredient in variations of Mapo Tofu, steamed dishes or as part of stir fries.

Health Benefits

It is said that dau si is high in antioxidants, minerals and protein. A combination of these properties are believed to assist with one’s digestion, blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

However, keep in mind that it is high in salt, which means it’ll need to be eaten in moderation.

That’s why we only add just enough to this dish for that signature flavor!

Why this recipe works

• Opting for jarred sauces means the prep time is reduced so you can have more time for yourself.
• Our Steamed Fish with Bean Bean Sauce is made using grouper steaks for minimum prep.
• Using ginger keeps the dish fragrant and reduces fishy smells.

What you’ll need

About the ingredients

We use pre-cut grouper fish steaks for this recipe, but you can use whichever type and cut you prefer. Grouper’s particularly good for steaming because it softens well and also holds its shape, even when cooked for a longer period of time as you would if braising.

You can find black bean garlic sauce in the sauces section of Asian supermarkets. The one we use it the Lee Kum Kee brand, but any will work. Just make sure to adjust the seasoning to taste as different brands have slightly different flavors.

How to make this recipe

Cut the ginger into thin strips, then set aside for later.

Marinate the fish with the black bean sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, salt and oil for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Set up the steamer and spread the ginger on top. Put the dish in to cook on high heat for 50 minutes or until cooked.

Pro Tip: If you poke a chopstick through and it comes out slightly flaky and the color isn’t translucent, it’s ready.

Serve immediately as is!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Marinate for longer. We do this with beef, chicken and pork to ensure the flavors infuse deep into the ingredients.
• Give the skin a thorough scrape. Run a knife along the skin under running cold tap water to remove any excess scales.
• Top it with a scallion and hot oil. Finely slice some scallions, lay them over the ginger and bring a neutral oil to smoking point. Pour it over the scallions for a fresh aromatic kick.

Make it a Cantonese dinner!

• Start the night off with restaurant-style Oysters with Ginger and Shallots.
• The humble flavors in Braised Chicken with Mushrooms, Black Fungus and Lily Flowers (金針雞), Crispy Pork Belly Stir Fry and Three Colored Eggs (三色蒸水蛋) will complement all the dishes.
• Chicken Feet Soup (雞腳汤) has a nutty fragrance that warms everyone up.
• Enjoy everything over a bed of Dried Scallop and Egg White Fried Rice (瑤柱蛋白炒飯) drizzled with XO Sauce (XO 酱).
• Bean Curd and Ginkgo Nut Dessert Soup (腐竹白果糖水) is a great way to finish the night off!

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This post was originally published on 15/07/21 and updated with FAQ answers in August 2023.

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