Cantonese-Style Steamed Whole Fish (Zheng Yu)

Ingredients

• Fish

  • 1 fresh sea bream, about 1 ½ lb (675 g) with head intact, scaled and eviscerated (see note)
  • ½ cup (125 ml) water
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) Shaoxing rice wine, sherry or sake
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce or 2 tbsp (30 ml) regular soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 green onions, white parts cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, green parts sliced into long julienne
  • 3 pieces fresh ginger, each about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, peeled
  • ¼ cup (10 g) cilantro leaves

• Ginger Oil

  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil