This is one of my all-time favorite fish dishes, Steamed Fish with Chili Bean Sauce, with a spicy savory sweet sauce that takes my taste buds on a journey to heaven and back 😂! This dish may not be suitable for little kids due to the spiciness, but the adults will gobble it up in no time, mixing that delicious spicy sauce together with their rice!
In Malaysia, this dish is commonly known as 酱蒸鱼 (jiong zeng yu), and is a staple for seafood restaurants all over the country. The fish I’m using is Red Tilapia, with its mild taste and tender texture being the perfect companion for our robust chili bean sauce, but you can use any white fish you like.
What truly sets this dish apart is the chili bean sauce. To create this masterpiece, you’ll need garlic, shallots, ginger, chili, taucu (fermented bean paste), water, plum sauce, sugar, and a touch of cooking oil. These ingredients come together to create a sauce that’s the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and sweet.
The garlic, shallots, ginger, and chili are first blitzed into a paste, unleashing their aromatic essence. As you cook this paste over medium heat, your kitchen will be filled with an irresistible fragrance. The addition of taucu bean paste elevates the umami quotient, giving the sauce a depth of flavor that’s truly satisfying.
To achieve the desired consistency, water, plum sauce, and sugar are added. The result is a sauce that clings perfectly to the fish, coating it in a mouthwatering glaze. The plum sauce contributes a hint of sweetness, harmonizing beautifully with the spiciness of the chili and the richness of the taucu bean paste.
The best thing about this Steamed Fish with Chili Bean Sauce recipe is that you will have an extra 2 servings of chili bean sauce at the end, so the next time you feel like having this delicious fish again, all you need to do is to steam the fish and pour on the sauce! So let’s get to it!
Watch How To Make It
Steamed Fish with Chilli Bean Sauce (酱蒸鱼)
Ingredients
- 400 g red tilapia fish
- coriander garnish
Sauce
- 70 g garlic
- 70 g shallots
- 70 g ginger
- 70 g chilli
- 3 tbsp taucu (fermented bean paste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp plum sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Blitz the garlic, shallots, ginger and chilli into a paste.
- Cook the paste over medium heat until fragrant. Then, add tauchu bean paste and give it another stir.
- Add water, plum sauce and sugar. Mix well until you get a nice consistency (slightly thicker) and set it aside. This sauce is enough to go for another 2 meals.
- Prepare the steamer. Pour in hot water and bring to a boil before you place the fish on the steamer rack. Steam for 8 – 10 minutes, or until it’s cooked through.Pro Tip: To test if your fish is done, use a fork and gently twist at the thickest point. The fish will flake easily when it’s done and it will lose its translucent or raw appearance.
- Drain the fish juice if you prefer a less fishy-tasting dish. Then, pour the sauce over it. Garnish with coriander and serve!