Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots

Name: Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 12 oysters ((we got them shucked at the seafood market)); 25 g / 0.06 lb ginger ((thinly sliced)); 2 sprig scallion / spring onion ((thinly sliced and soaking in cold water)); 5 tbsp light soy sauce ((or to taste)); 1 tbsp sugar ((or to taste)); 5 tbsp water; 6 tbsp cooking oil

Make restaurant-quality Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots in just easy 5 steps. These appetizers are topped with fresh aromatics, dressed in a light sweet soy sauce and perfect for weeknight dinners or celebrations!

Steamed oysters with ginger and shallots on a plate with a dish of light soy sauce

A must-have Chinese appetizer

When my family celebrates, we love to feast. And with that feasting comes a typical series of events: We start with Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots, abalone cooked the same way and an epic proportion of Peking Duck as per the kids’ requests.

It’s often then followed with dishes like Seafood Rolls, Salted Egg Yolk Prawns (牛油黃金虾), Dried Scallop and Egg White Fried Rice (瑤柱蛋白炒飯), Fish Maw Soup, Stir Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic and finished off with Sago Soup With Taro (西米露).

But while we’re enjoying all those fabulous dishes, do you know what my mind always drifts back to?

Yep, you guessed it – the Steamed Oysters. It’s because they’re so good but we can only ever have one! That’s not enough!

Luckily for me (and you, my beloved readers), Dad knows how to make it. So I now present to you the homemade version of a restaurant classic.

The method is pretty identical to how we cook our Chinese Steamed Fish. The result? You get the most luxurious slurp because lightly steaming each oyster means they go down silky smooth.

But that one slurp isn’t just about the texture. It’s enhanced by a sweet soy sauce that carries flavor all the way to your mouth.

The garnish then adds a snap crunch that completes the mouthful and sends your tastebuds into absolute bliss.

With such a deliciously easy recipe, it’s time to make some at home!

Which oysters are best for steaming?

We used medium-sized Pacific oysters for this recipe. They come in a various sizes, but our family prefers to enjoy them this way:

Have the smaller ones fresh with a squeeze of lemon, tabasco or a vinaigrette.
The large ones can get sickening for some, and are more suited for steaming, frying or deep frying than the small oysters.
Our Goldilocks moment is with the medium-sized ones, which are just right. They have enough of a meaty bite to make steaming worthwhile. Plus, they’re the perfect size to wonderfully balance the sauce and garnish!

Steamed oysters with ginger and shallots on a plate

Why this recipe works

Pouring hot oil over the garnish at the end brings out a beautiful aroma without compromising on the other ingredients.
Steaming the oysters with ginger helps the shellfish retain a fresh taste.
Adding the sauce in after cooking preserves the oyster’s natural flavor.

What you’ll need

Oysters on a plate along with julienned ginger and spring onions, water, light soy sauce, oil and sugar in bowls

About the aromatics

After thinly slicing the ginger and spring onions, keep them in cool water. This is done for two reasons: (1) The spring onions will curl and look fancier as a garnish and (2) the ginger’s bite will be diluted in the water.

Of course, if you prefer the ginger to have a spicier kick, skip soaking it in water.

How to make this recipe

Hands holding an oyster up to running tap water over a bowl

Have the oysters shucked at the seafood market when you buy them, then give each shellfish a quick rinse in cool water to remove any shell shards.

Oysters with julienned ginger on them in a bamboo steamer

Set up your steamer while you garnish the oysters with the ginger. Steam on high heat with the lid on for 7 minutes or until just cooked.

Meanwhile, combine the light soy sauce, sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat until the sugar has melted.

A saucepan pouring oil into oysters garnished with spring onions and ginger on a plate

Plate the steamed oysters, pour 1-2 tbsp of the sauce over them and garnish with scallions. Heat up the oil until smoking and pour 1/2 tbsp over the scallions on each oyster.

Enjoy hot as is!

Recipe FAQs

What can I substitute the shallots and ginger with?

There are many ways to serve steamed oysters Chinese style! You can steam them with XO sauce and vermicelli or replace the ginger and shallots with minced garlic.

Can I use canned oysters instead?

Fresh ones are the most ideal for this recipe, especially because it comes with the shell, but if it’s not easily available then canned ones are the next best option. Make sure to wash them as demonstrated in this YouTube video by YouCanCookGourmet. I would also suggest steaming them in small dishes.

Tips for the best results

Eat the steamed oysters as soon as you cook them. If you can’t eat them straight away, wait until you can to steam them.
Cook on a high heat the entire time. Avoid lifting the lid and keep the shellfish sealed in the steam to cook all the way through.
Make sure the oil is smoking hot. This will partially cook the scallions, giving them a fragrant aroma.
Taste the sauce before you add it. The sauce can be easily adjusted to preference, so make sure to taste it just before you pour it over the shellfish.

A hand holding a fork holding an oyster with ginger and shallots

Must-try Chinese appetizers

Taiwanese Pork Belly Bao (Gua Bao) – These handheld food parcels are full of juicy pork and balalnced by crunchy vegetables.
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞) – Finger-lickin’ good, you won’t want to miss a popular Taiwanese street snack.
Ham Sui Gok (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings 咸水角) – Classic Cantonese dim sum recipes are worth finding when you want to bring Yum Cha home.
Curry Fish Balls (咖喱魚蛋) – Hong Kong has an abundance of these as part of their street food scene for a reason – they’re so delicious!

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