Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Steamed Grass Carp with Preserved Mustard Greens
梅菜蒸鯇魚
Recipe overview
Steamed Grass Carp with Preserved Mustard Greens is a familiar Hong Kong home-style steamed dish. The savoury, gently sweet preserved greens help soften the earthy aroma of freshwater fish and make the fish more flavourful. Grass carp belly is tender and richer than ordinary fish fillet, so it goes especially well with plain rice. The ingredients are easy to buy and the seasoning and method are manageable for a beginner helper. The key points are to soak and taste the preserved greens until the saltiness is right, keep the fish pieces close in thickness, and wait for strong steam before putting in the plate. Remove the fish as soon as the flesh turns opaque and separates naturally along the flakes so it does not become dry.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 600 g Grass carp belly (Cut into pieces about 2.5 cm thick; ask the fishmonger to remove visible scales and the dark inner membrane)
- 120 g Sweet preserved mustard greens (Soak, rinse and chop; taste first before deciding how long to soak)
- 20 g Ginger (Cut into fine strips; use half under the fish and half on top)
- 2 stalks Scallions (Wash, cut the white parts into short sections and the green parts into fine strips; use the whites underneath and the greens after steaming)
- As needed Water (Only for soaking and rinsing the preserved greens and filling the steaming wok; do not add it to the fish seasoning)
Fish marinade
- 1 teaspoon Light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (Omit for the children's version)
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon Sesame oil
- A little Ground white pepper (Omit for the children's version)
Preserved mustard greens seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (Taste the preserved greens first; reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if they are already quite sweet)
- 1/2 teaspoon Light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Cooking oil (Mix into the preserved greens to keep them moist after steaming)
Finishing seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Warmed cooked oil (Use cooking oil warmed until just tepid; omit for a lighter version for older adults and drizzle only before serving)
02
Tools
- Covered steaming wok or steam oven
- Covered steaming wok or steam oven
- Steaming rack
- Heatproof fish-steaming plate
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Strainer
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Tablespoon
- Teaspoon
- Kitchen paper
- Kitchen tongs
- Chopsticks
- Heatproof gloves
03
Steps
Step 1
Soak and rinse the preserved greens
Put the sweet preserved mustard greens in a large bowl, add enough water and rub them gently. Pour away the first water. Refill and soak for about 10 minutes, then taste a small piece. If it is still clearly too salty, change the water and soak for another 5 minutes. Do not soak until all the characteristic flavour is gone.
Step 2
Drain and chop the preserved greens
Transfer the soaked greens to a strainer and press gently by hand to remove excess water. Move them to the chopping board and cut them into even pieces about 0.5 cm. Too much retained water will dilute the flavour and leave excessive liquid on the plate during steaming.
Step 3
Prepare the grass carp pieces
Check for remaining scales, dark inner membrane or obvious blood clots and remove them. Rinse quickly, then immediately pat the surface and cut sides of every piece dry with kitchen paper. Do not soak the fish, as the flesh can absorb water and develop a stronger earthy smell.
Step 4
Cut the ginger and scallions
Peel the ginger and cut it into fine strips. Wash the scallions, cut the white parts into short sections and the green parts into fine strips. Reserve the whites and half the ginger for the plate, the remaining ginger for the fish, and the green scallions for after steaming.
Step 5
Marinate the fish pieces
Put the dried grass carp pieces in a large bowl. Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sesame oil and a little white pepper. Mix gently with a hand or chopsticks until every piece has a thin coating, then rest for 10 minutes. Do not stir forcefully or the flesh may break apart.
Step 6
Season the preserved greens
Put the chopped preserved greens in a small bowl. Add sugar, 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cooking oil, then mix evenly. Taste their original sweetness first; if they are already sweet, reduce the sugar to 1/2 teaspoon so the finished dish is not overly sweet.
Step 7
Prepare the steaming plate
Spread the scallion whites and half the ginger in a thin layer along the centre of the heatproof fish-steaming plate. This slightly lifts the fish from the plate, improves steam circulation and reduces direct contact with the steaming liquid.
Step 8
Arrange the fish pieces
Place the marinated grass carp pieces in one layer over the ginger and scallions, leaving small gaps. Put thicker pieces in the centre and thinner pieces at the sides. Do not overlap them, or they will cook unevenly.
Step 9
Add the preserved greens and ginger
Spread the seasoned preserved greens evenly over every fish piece with a consistent thickness rather than piling them in the centre. Add the remaining ginger. Cover only the fish surfaces and do not press down tightly, so steam can circulate.
Step 10
Bring the steaming water to a full boil
Add enough water to the steaming wok without allowing it to touch the fish plate. Cover and bring it to a full boil over high heat until there is a continuous cloud of strong steam. Put in the fish only after strong steam has formed; do not start from cold water.
Step 11
Steam over high heat until cooked
Wearing heatproof gloves, carefully place the fish plate on the rack and cover at once. Steam over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. At 8 minutes, insert a chopstick into the centre of the thickest piece. It is done when the flesh is opaque, separates along the flakes and has no translucent raw centre.
Step 12
Add scallion strips and serve
Turn off the heat and remove the plate immediately so residual heat does not overcook the fish. Sprinkle with green scallion strips and, if desired, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of tepid cooked oil. Rest for about 1 minute and serve. Check carefully for small bones again before serving children or older adults.
Common mistakes
- Not tasting the preserved greens first: Saltiness and sweetness vary greatly between brands, so using them directly can make the dish too salty. Taste a small piece after rinsing before deciding whether to change the water and continue soaking.
- Soaking the preserved greens too long: Prolonged soaking strips away their savoury-sweet flavour and leaves only a fibrous texture. Soak in short stages and taste each time rather than leaving them for hours.
- Not drying the fish pieces: Excess water dilutes the marinade and creates a large amount of bland, fishy liquid after steaming. Pat the fish dry immediately after its quick rinse.
- Overlapping the fish pieces: Steam cannot reach overlapping areas evenly, so the outer pieces may overcook while the inner parts remain raw. Arrange the fish in one layer with gaps.
- Putting in the fish before the water boils: Slow heating makes the fish release more water and can strengthen its earthy smell. Wait for continuous strong steam before placing the fish in the wok.
- Following only the timer without checking the thickest piece: Piece thickness and heat strength change the cooking time. Check the centre of the thickest piece for opaque flesh that separates naturally instead of relying only on the timer.
- Leaving the fish in the wok to keep warm: Residual heat continues cooking the fish and can dry it out. Remove the plate immediately when the fish is done.
Tips
Ask the fishmonger to cut the grass carp into pieces of similar thickness so they finish steaming together. Every brand of sweet preserved mustard greens has a different salt level, so always taste after soaking and rinsing. For children, omit the Shaoxing wine and white pepper and chop the preserved greens more finely. For older adults, choose the softer belly section, but check carefully for bones before serving. Do not open the lid repeatedly during steaming, or steam escapes and the fish may not cook evenly. If the pieces are thin, check at 8 minutes rather than always steaming for the full 10 minutes and drying them out. For a lighter diet, omit the final oil but do not add extra water to dilute the preserved greens.
