Chef Ken Liang · Ken’s Chinese Restaurant
ALONG THE southeast coast of China, eating steamed freshly caught seafood is a way of life. Most commonly it is flavoured with shredded fresh ginger and green onions, but others prefer sun-dried vegetables, smoked ham, dried mushrooms, chili and garlic sauce or, as in this recipe, dried olives and black bean sauce.
Pouring hot oil over the tilapia is an integral part of this recipe, as it merges with the juices obtained from steaming the fish and the seasoning ingredients to create a fish sauce with an umami flavour. Even if you’re watching your fat intake, don’t skip this step!
This version comes courtesy of Chef Liang, whose award-winning golden Dungeness crab (cooked with preserved egg yolks) and lobster hot pot (cooked with ginger and mung bean threads) regularly draw diners from Toronto and New York.
1½ lbs whole fresh tilapia, cleaned and patted dry
6 Chinese dried black olives, chopped
2 tsp fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp white sugar
2 tsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp canola oil
1 green onion, julienned
USING A SHARP, heavy knife, slice gently along tilapia’s backbone to separate the fish into 2 fillets, then chop the flesh into 2-inch lengths. You should have 6 to 8 pieces in total. Arrange tilapia strips, skin side down, on a large plate. (Asians traditionally keep the head and tail and cook these along with the body, but discard them if you prefer.) Discard the bones (or reserve them to make fish stock).
In a small bowl, combine olives, black beans, ginger, sugar, light and dark soy sauces, cornstarch and 1 Tbsp of the canola oil. Using a spoon, spread the mixture evenly over the tilapia. Transfer the plate of tilapia to a bamboo steamer.
In a large wok, bring 2 cups water to a boil on high heat, set steamer on top (make sure the water is boiling), cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring remaining 3 Tbsp canola oil to a boil on high heat. Carefully pour hot oil evenly over fish, garnish with green onions and serve immediately.