Steaming Fish Perfection: Lapu Lapu Style

Steamed lapu-lapu is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for special occasions or a weekend feast. This easy-to-prepare recipe involves steaming a whole fish – typically grouper or red snapper – and serving it with a variety of sauces and garnishes. The fish is often stuffed with aromatics like lemon, ginger, spring onion, and cilantro, and steamed in a banana leaf to retain moisture and fragrance. The cooking time depends on the size of the fish, but it typically takes around 15 to 30 minutes. While the fish is steaming, a sauce is prepared by heating oil and combining it with ingredients like soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and rice wine. The steamed lapu-lapu is then served hot, garnished with spring onions, ginger, and cilantro, and paired with steamed rice and vegetables.

Characteristics of Steamed Fish Lapu-Lapu

How to prepare the fish for steaming

Preparing the lapu-lapu for steaming is a simple process, but it requires a few key steps to ensure the fish is cooked properly and maintains its moisture. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare the lapu-lapu for steaming:

Cleaning and Scaling:

Start by rinsing the lapu-lapu under cold running water to clean it thoroughly. Remove any blood or remaining innards, as these can leave an unpleasant smell. Scale the fish to remove its outer scales, and pat it dry with a paper towel.

Stuffing and Seasoning:

Stuff the cavity of the fish with lemon wedges, slices of ginger, and spring onions. You can also add other aromatics like leeks and red onions. Season the fish with salt and pepper, or tamarind powder for a unique flavour. You can also rub the fish with ground black pepper and a little salt to enhance its natural flavour.

Scoring and Slitting:

Use a sharp knife to make diagonal cuts or scores on both sides of the thickest part of the fish. This will help the flavours penetrate the fish during steaming and allow it to absorb any sauces better.

Wrapping and Securing:

Place the stuffed fish on a large banana leaf or aluminium foil. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the fish. Wrap the fish securely with the banana leaf or foil, ensuring that it is tightly closed. You can use banana leaf strips or cooking twine to secure the wrapping.

Steaming Setup:

Prepare a steamer that will fit the size of your wrapped fish. Place the fish on a heat-proof plate, such as a porcelain plate, and put it inside the steamer. Make sure the steamer is placed over a pan or wok with boiling water.

Now that your lapu-lapu is prepared and ready, you can proceed with the steaming process, followed by your choice of sauce and garnishes.

How to make a soy-ginger sauce

Steamed lapu-lapu is a simple and healthy dish, which can be enhanced with a soy-ginger sauce. Here is a detailed guide on how to make a delicious soy-ginger sauce to accompany your steamed fish.

Ingredients:

• Soy sauce (light or low-sodium)
• Ginger (freshly grated or minced)
• Rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Scallions or green onions (chopped or sliced)
• Garlic (minced)
• Sesame oil
• Sugar (optional)
• White pepper (optional)

Method:

Start by preparing your ginger and garlic. You want approximately a 1:4 ratio of ginger to soy sauce, so for every tablespoon of grated or minced ginger, add four tablespoons of soy sauce. You can adjust this ratio to your taste, adding more or less ginger as desired.

Next, add the rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar. A good rule of thumb is to add half the amount of vinegar as you did soy sauce. So, for every four tablespoons of soy sauce, add two tablespoons of vinegar. Again, you can adjust this to your taste, adding more for a sharper sauce.

Now, add the scallions or green onions, and the minced garlic. The amount of these ingredients is up to you, but a couple of tablespoons of scallions and a clove or two of garlic should be enough.

For an extra kick of flavour, add a pinch of white pepper and a dash of sesame oil. If you like your sauce on the sweeter side, add a teaspoon of sugar.

Finally, stir or shake all the ingredients together until they are well combined. You can serve this sauce as a dip or pour it over your steamed lapu-lapu. Enjoy!

How to steam the fish

Steaming fish is a healthy and tasty way to cook lapu-lapu. Here is a detailed guide on how to steam this delicious fish:

Preparing the Fish

Firstly, clean the lapu-lapu thoroughly. Remove the gills, innards, and scales. You can also remove the fins if you wish, but this is optional. To enhance the flavour, make a few shallow diagonal slits on the sides of the thickest part of the fish. This will help the flavours penetrate the fish during steaming.

Seasoning the Fish

Rub the fish with salt and pepper, or tamarind powder. You can also use garlic powder or dried chilli flakes for an extra kick. Stuff the cavity with lemon wedges, spring onion, or ginger. You can also place slices of ginger into the slits to infuse even more flavour.

Steaming the Fish

Place the fish on a heatproof plate and put it in a steamer. You can use a bamboo steamer or a multipurpose cooker/steamer. Make sure the water is already boiling before adding the fish. Steam gently over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked. Check for doneness by inserting a fork into the thickest part of the fish; if it flakes easily, it's ready.

Making a Sauce

While the fish is steaming, you can make a simple sauce by heating lemon juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan. You can also make a soy-ginger sauce by sautéing ginger, spring onion, and leeks in cooking oil, then adding soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and sesame oil.

Serving the Fish

Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the steamer and let it cool slightly. Transfer the fish to a serving plate and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with cilantro, spring onion, or ginger slices. Serve hot, with steamed rice and vegetables on the side.

Tips and Variations

You can also wrap the fish in banana leaves before steaming to keep it moist and fragrant. If you don't have a steamer, you can bake the fish instead. For a more intense ginger flavour, rub the fish with grated ginger before steaming, or marinate it in soy sauce and ginger for 30 minutes beforehand.

How to stuff the fish

To stuff the lapu-lapu, first clean the fish thoroughly and pat it dry. Then, rub the fish with tamarind powder, salt, and pepper. You can also use garlic powder and dried red chilli pepper flakes for more flavour.

Next, stuff the cavity of the fish with lemon wedges and green onions. You can also add slices of ginger to the cavity, or place them in slits you've made in the fish.

If you want to add extra ginger, rub the fish with freshly grated ginger before steaming, or marinate the fish in soy sauce and ginger for 30 minutes before steaming.

How to serve the dish

The steamed lapu-lapu is now ready to be served! This dish is best enjoyed hot, so be sure to serve it immediately after preparation. Here are some tips and suggestions for serving this delicious steamed fish:

• Garnishes: You can garnish the steamed lapu-lapu with additional spring onions, ginger slices, cilantro, or kinchay. These garnishes add a pop of colour and enhance the flavour of the dish.
• Sauce: The soy-ginger sauce is an essential component of this dish. Be sure to pour the sauce over the fish before serving, coating it evenly. The sauce adds a savory and slightly sweet flavour that complements the natural taste of the fish.
• Side dishes: Steamed rice and a side of vegetables are the perfect accompaniments to this meal. You can also serve it with a banana leaf for added fragrance and moisture.
• Occasions: Steamed lapu-lapu is a versatile dish that can be served for everyday meals or special occasions. It is a popular choice for Christmas, fiestas, and other celebrations in Filipino culture.
• Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Variations: You can also experiment with different variations of this dish. For a festive touch, try the traditional Christmas version, topped with mayonnaise and garnished with chopped eggs, sweet pickle relish, carrots, and bell peppers. Alternatively, you can substitute the lapu-lapu with other white-fleshed fish such as tilapia or maya-maya.

Frequently asked questions