Steaming Tilapia: Oyster Sauce Perfection In 20 Minutes

Steamed tilapia with oyster sauce is a simple, tasty, and healthy dish that is also very forgiving to the novice cook. The fish is steamed, bringing out its delicate flavour and keeping the flesh moist. The sauce is made with oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, onion, and ginger, creating an aromatic and flavourful blend. The dish can be served with steamed rice and has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This recipe is a great way to enjoy the benefits of tilapia, which is readily available and adaptable to many cooking styles.

Cleaning and preparing the tilapia

To prepare the tilapia for steaming, start by thoroughly cleaning the fish. Remove the gills and any clotted blood, and wash the inside and mouth of the fish. You can use a citrus fruit, such as lemon or calamansi, to wash the inside of the fish, which will help to eliminate any fishy smell.

Once the fish is clean, rub it with salt, inside and out, and then wash it again. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. You can now scale and gut the fish, if you haven't already done so.

Line a steamer with parchment paper or aluminium foil. You can add aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and onion to the steamer before placing the fish on top. If you're using a whole fish, you can stuff the cavity with garlic and ginger, as well as a few sprigs of cilantro.

Now your tilapia is ready to be steamed!

Preparing the steamer

First, you'll want to get your steamer ready. Line a steamer with a double layer of parchment paper or foil. This will help to protect the fish from direct contact with the steamer and ensure even cooking. If you don't have a steamer, you can create a makeshift one by placing a heatproof plate inside a pot or wok with a small amount of water in the bottom. Make sure the water isn't touching the plate.

For added flavour, you can add ingredients to the water in the steamer. In this case, you could add ginger and oregano to the water and let it simmer for 5 minutes before placing the fish in the steamer. This will infuse the steam with extra fragrance and taste.

Once your steamer is ready, it's time to move on to the next step: preparing the aromatics and the fish.

Now, place the aromatics on the parchment or foil. This could include ingredients such as onion, garlic, and ginger. You can slice or chop these ingredients, or even scatter them in julienne strips. The aromatics will flavour the fish from below as it steams.

Place the tilapia on top of the aromatics. You can use whole tilapia for this recipe, which should be scaled and gutted beforehand. You can also stuff the cavity of the fish with additional aromatics, such as garlic and ginger, to infuse even more flavour into the dish.

Making the sauce

The sauce for steamed tilapia with oyster sauce is what gives the dish its characteristic flavour. It is important to prepare the sauce while the fish is steaming so that it is ready to be served immediately after the fish is cooked.

To make the sauce, you will need garlic, ginger, scallions or spring onions, and oil. Some recipes also include soy sauce, sugar, and water. Begin by heating a pan or wok over medium to high heat. Add the oil, and once it is hot, add the garlic and ginger. Fry these ingredients until they are golden and fragrant. If you are making the sauce with scallions, add them now and stir-fry until they are also golden.

Next, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar (if using). Stir everything together and let it bubble for about a minute. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a small amount of water to thin it out. Once the sauce is ready, remove it from the heat and set it aside, keeping it warm until the fish is cooked.

When the fish is done, remove it from the steamer and transfer it to a plate. Pour the prepared sauce over the fish, making sure to cover it evenly. Finally, top the dish with the remaining scallions or spring onions and serve immediately.

Steaming the tilapia

First, clean the fish thoroughly. Remove the gills and any clotted blood, and wash the mouth. You can also wash the inside of the fish with a citrus fruit like lemon or calamansi. Then, rub the tilapia with salt, inside and out, and wash it again.

Next, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Line a steamer with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Scatter onion slices, garlic, and ginger on the paper or foil, and place the fish on top. You can also stuff the cavity of the fish with garlic and ginger, and top with soy sauce, wine, and sesame oil.

Now you're ready to steam the fish. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add ginger and oregano to the water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then place the steamer basket with the fish over the pot and cover. Steam the fish for about 6 to 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife into the flesh—it should flake easily.

Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the steamer and transfer it to a plate. Tent the fish with foil to keep it warm while you make the sauce.

Serving the dish

Once your tilapia is cooked, you can serve it with a variety of sauces and garnishes.

One option is to make a sauce with oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Simmer these ingredients in a small pan and pour the sauce over the fish. You can also garnish with scallions or spring onions.

Another option is to make a garlic oil to pour over the fish. Simply heat some oil in a pan, add chopped garlic, and fry until golden. This can be poured over the fish along with the sauce.

If you want to keep things simple, you can just drizzle the cooked tilapia with a mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce, and garnish with grated ginger.

Finally, don't forget that steaming liquid! It creates a nice soy-based juice that you can drizzle over your fish to enhance the flavor.

Serve your steamed tilapia immediately, perhaps with a side of steamed rice to soak up all those delicious sauces.

Frequently asked questions