Steamed Whole Fish with Chili Bean Sauce (Doubanjiang)
Chinese steamed whole fish with chili bean sauce—tender, flavorful, and easy to make, a classic dish served with rice for a light yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 whole tilapia, or sea bass, patted dry
- salt, to season the fish
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, for marinating the fish
Sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 green onions, chopped into 3 section, plus more for garnish
- 4 cloves garlic, gently smashed or thinly sliced
- 4 dried chilies
- 5 thinly sliced ginger
- 1 ½ tbsp chili bean paste , or Doubanjiang
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, mix chili bean paste, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, black vinegar, sugar, and water. Set aside.
- Season both sides of the fish with salt. Pour Shaoxing wine over the fish and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Place fish on a heatproof plate or steamer basket. Steam over high heat for 5–10 minutes, depending on size. The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily from the bone.
- Heat oil in a pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, green onions, and dried chilies. Stir fry until fragrant.
- Pour in the prepared sauce. Let simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened and aromatic.
- Pour the chili bean sauce and aromatics over the steamed fish. Garnish with fresh green onions and serve immediately.
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