Steamed Whole Fish Cantonese

Rinse the fish thoroughly, pat dry with paper towels. Make two to three diagonal scores on both sides of the fish. Place a few ginger slices and a few scallion pieces inside the fish cavity and on top of the fish. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits into your steamer.

Fill a large wok or a steamer pot with enough water to last for the steaming process. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Ensure the plate with the fish can be placed on a rack above the water level.

Once the water is boiling, carefully place the plate with the fish onto the steamer rack. Cover tightly and steam for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. The fish is cooked when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part. Do not overcook.

While the fish is steaming, combine the light soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and water or chicken stock in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. This will be your savory sauce.

Carefully remove the steamed fish from the steamer. Discard the ginger and scallions from the cavity and on top of the fish, as they have absorbed the fishy odors. Pour off any excess liquid accumulated on the plate. Arrange fresh julienned ginger and scallions on top of the fish. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil evenly over the ginger, scallions, and cilantro on the fish. This sizzles the aromatics, releasing their fragrance, and then pour the prepared soy sauce mixture around the fish. Serve immediately.