Whole steamed sea bass garnished with ginger slices and spring onions on an oval serving platter

Qing Dynasty · China

Yuan Mei's Steamed Fish

Name: Yuan Mei's Steamed Fish
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 1 whole sea bass or bream (~700g), scaled and gutted; 6 slices ginger; 3 spring onions; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 3 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tsp Shaoxing wine

From Suiyuan Shidan 隨園食單 · Yuan Mei · 1792

Verified from original source

A whole fish steamed with ginger and spring onion, drizzled with hot oil — Yuan Mei called this 'the truest test of a cook'.

History

Yuan Mei's steamed fish recipe appears in his renowned culinary work Suiyuan Shidan (1792), a comprehensive Chinese cookbook documenting Qing dynasty gastronomy. Yuan Mei (1716-1798), a scholar-poet and epicure, compiled detailed cooking instructions emphasising fresh ingredients and proper technique. His steamed fish recipe reflects classical Chinese principles: preserving natural flavours through gentle cooking, using minimal seasonings like ginger and scallions, and respecting ingredient quality. The Suiyuan Shidan influenced Chinese culinary literature and home cooking for generations. Steaming fish remains fundamental in Chinese cuisine today, with Yuan Mei's emphasis on freshness and simplicity still guiding modern preparations.

Sources

Yuan Mei, Suiyuan Shidan (Recipes from the Garden of Contentment), 1792
Sean J.S. Chen translation, Recipes from the Garden of Contentment: Yuan Mei's Manual of Gastronomy, 2018
E.N. Anderson, The Food of China, Yale University Press, 1988
H.T. Huang, Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 6: Biology and Biological Technology, Part 5: Fermentations and Food Science, Cambridge University Press, 2000
Jacqueline M. Newman, Food Culture in China, Greenwood Press, 2004

Serves

Prep

10m

Cook

10m

Difficulty

Easy