This is a steamed pampano fish topped with green onions. It is the 40th time I made this fish. You can find pampano fish at a Chinese supermarket. It usually comes in a frozen package. Sometimes when you choose pampapno fish it comes in small and big in the package. If you buy big, you can have more to eat compare to eating a small pampano fish. When buying a forzen fish, most of the time it needs to be clean. When you learn how to clean a fish, you will get the hang of it and can clean any kind of fish.
Making a good steam fish needs to be marinated with salt, turmeric, soya sauce, garlic powder, garlic and onions outside and inside. If your pampano does not have a fresh smell then put some Chinese cooking wine inside. It will make the fish taste better. If the pamapno is fresh, you do not need to put any cooking wine. The Chinese cooking wine can be bought at a Chinese supermarket. Most of the time I like to steam the pampano fish because it is simple and fast.
To steam a pampano fish, take a portable steamer or a large pan. Pour some water and boil on high heat. Close the lid. When the water starts boiling, Put in the pampano into the steamer. I steam the fish for 8 minutes because it’s a small fish. You can steam it for 1-2 extra minutes to ensure it is properly cooked. Make sure do not over cook the fish or the fish meat will not taste good. To know if the fish is ready. Take a knife and insert it in the middle. If you feel the bone, that means it’s ready. If not, you need to cook it a bit longer. When it is done, be careful taking the plate of steam fish out of the steamer. It is very hot.
When eating the fish, there are bones. Be careful eating it. The meats inside are very awesome and tasty. I like it a lot. You can defrost the frozen pampano fish the night before in the fridge.
When eating fish, it is best to go with rice. Make sure there are no bones before mixing it into the rice. It is best to eat the whole fish on the same day once it is steam, to get the freshness of the fish. Try to make this fish, and you will like it a lot
Direction Cleaning:
1. Take the frozen Pampano out of the freezer.
2. Take a bowl of hot water and soak the frozen pampano fish in the bowl, to unfrozen it for about 4-5 minutes.
3. Put a pair of dishwasher gloves.
4. Take it out of the bowl.
5. Open the bag with scissors and take the fish out of the bag.
6. Wash the fish
7. Take a knife and fish. At an angle of the knife, scrape off the scales everywhere on the fish. This fish does not have a 8. lot of scales to scrape off. Compare to other fishes. If the fish have a not fresh smell. Put some salt on both sides of the body and inside too!
(Note: putting salt can take the non-fresh smell away.)
9. Take scissors and cut off the mouth guard. Cut a straight line on the stomach almost to the middle
10. Take out all the disgusting intestine, the red guts and also the mouth guard out of the fish.
11. When it is all clean. Rinse inside and make sure there is no dirty thing inside.
12. When done. Rinse the fish again and put it on a plastic bowl to get all the water out.
Preparing the onions, peppers and ginger:
1. Take an onion. Use a knife peeler and peel the onion skin.
2. Place it on the cutting board. Cut each onion in half. Put it on the side and cut it into slices.
3. Take ginger. Use a slice cutter and slice the ginger into strips of pieces
4. Place them into a bowl and set it aside.
5. Take a bag of small peppers.
6. Take a slice cutter and make sure the knife is attach to the slice cutter.
7. Slice the orange peppers into slices.
8. Place them into a bowl and set it aside.
Marinating the fish:
1. put the fish on the plate.
2. sprinkle some salt, garlic powder and pour some soya sauce and turmeric on the body
3. Repeat the same steps on the other side of the fish.
4. Inside the fish, sprinkle some salt, garlic powder and pour some soya sauce, turmeric and Chinese cooking wine.
5. Spread some onions on top of the fish, inside and some at the bottom of the plate.
6. In the bowl, take some sliced ginger strips and spread them on top of the fish. Then put some inside the fish. Then topped some sliced pieces of orange peppers.
(Note: Marinating inside the fish and putting ginger and onions can take the non-fresh smell out of the fish.)
Steaming the pampano fish:
1. In the cupboard, Take a large pan and place it on the stove.
2. Put some water, the amount you need to steam the fish.
3. Put a steamer tray. Close the lid.
4. Once the water starts boiling, put the fish inside the steamer tray.
5. Take a couple of green beans and wash it. Then place it around the steamer. Close the lid.
6. Cook the fish for 8 minutes for a small fish and a large fish 12-13 minutes.
7. Once the fish is ready. Use a knife and stick it in the middle to see if it touches the bone. Then you know it’s ready. If not, you need to cook a bit longer.
8. Once it is ready. Turn of the heat.
9. In the fridge, take out some green onions and rinse it.
10. Chop up some green onion. Sprinkle some green onions on top of the fish.
11`. Use a plate clipper or kitchen mittens, take out the steam pampano fish and place it on the table.
12. Enjoy.
Cooking Chez Moi 