🐟 Why do we use ginger, scallion and soy sauce in steamed fish? The soul combination of Guangdong steamed fish

When it comes to the "grand finale" of Cantonese cuisine, steamed fish is definitely on the list! ✨ A fresh, fresh-swimming fish, steamed, drizzled with sizzling ginger and scallion oil, then topped with seasoned soy sauce, is so simple yet so fragrant that everyone in Taiwan is clamoring for it. 😋 But here's the question: Why is steamed fish always served with ginger, scallion, and soy sauce ? There's a lot of cultural, culinary, and culinary wisdom behind this. Let's break it down for you today!

📜 Historical Background of Steamed Fish

1. Guangdong Steamed Fish Tradition

Cantonese people value freshness above all else. Fresh fish requires simple cooking methods. Steaming fish preserves the original flavor of the fish without overpowering it with heavy seasoning.

2. Festival meaning

Fish symbolizes "abundance every year," and steamed fish is a must during Chinese New Year. To enhance the freshness of fish, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce have gradually become their best accompaniment.

3. Restaurant Culture

Steamed fish has long been a signature dish in restaurants in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Chefs often say, "Delicious fish doesn't need fancy preparation; ginger, scallions, and soy sauce are enough."

🧄 Why use ginger, scallion and soy sauce?

1. Remove fishy smell and enhance fragrance

• Fish tends to have a muddy or seawater smell.
• Ginger has spicy essential oil that can remove fishy smell; green onion has a refreshing fragrance that can enhance freshness.
• The combination of cold and hot aromas makes the fish flavor more prominent.

2. Enhance the taste

• Although the steamed fish is fresh and sweet, the taste is bland.
• Drizzle with ginger, scallion oil and soy sauce to instantly enhance the salty, fragrant and oily feeling.
• Every bite of fish is wrapped in fragrance, making it even more delicious😍.

3. Keep fish tender

• Pour hot oil over the ginger and scallions to bring out the aroma while forming a thin oil film.
• This layer of oil film can lock in the moisture of the fish and prevent it from becoming dry and tough after steaming.

4. The unique effects of soy sauce

• Guangdong steamed fish special "steamed fish soy sauce" tastes more refreshing and sweet than ordinary soy sauce🍶.
• It can bring out the freshness of the fish without stealing the show, achieving a "salty yet sweet, fresh on top of freshness" effect.

5. Guangdong Dietary Wisdom

• The Cantonese people say "clear but not bland", which means that the dishes should be light but with layered flavors.
• Ginger, scallion and soy sauce perfectly embodies this concept: retaining the freshness of the fish while adding a layer of fragrance.

🌟 Steamed fish with ginger, scallion and soy sauce

1. Three major taste elements

• Fresh : The fish itself is sweet.
• Aroma : spicy aroma of ginger, scallion and oil.
• Salty and sweet : steamed fish with soy sauce.

2. Visual enjoyment

• The fish is snow-white, the ginger is golden, the green onion is emerald green, and it is drizzled with dark brown soy sauce, creating a sharp color contrast.

3. User Experience

• When eating, you can taste the original flavor of the fish, and the spicy aroma of ginger and scallions, giving the fish multiple flavors.

🍽️ Why has it become a classic?

1. Popular taste

Everyone, young and old, can enjoy the fragrant, salty and sweet taste of ginger, scallion and soy sauce.

2. Suitable for both restaurants and families

• Restaurant: Premium seafood with ginger, scallion and soy sauce, reflecting the chef's skill.
• Family: Cheap fish with ginger, scallions and soy sauce, just as delicious.

3. Symbolic culture

Steaming fish with ginger, scallions and soy sauce has become the standard recipe for "Guangdong steamed fish" and is even used in overseas Chinese restaurants, becoming a cultural imprint.

🍤 Variation and Innovation

• Steamed fish head with ginger and scallion : more fragrant 🐟.
• Garlic version : Some chefs will add garlic, which makes the taste more powerful🧄.
• Chili version : add chili pepper for a bit of excitement🌶️.

But no matter how innovative it is, ginger, scallion and soy sauce are always the soul.

💡 Editor's Summary

Steamed fish should be cooked with ginger, scallions, and soy sauce. The reason can be attributed to the combination of science, taste, and culture :

• Ginger and scallion remove the fishy smell and enhance the fragrance, enhancing the level
• The balance of salty and sweet soy sauce highlights the freshness of the fish
• Hot oil locks in the juice and keeps the fish tender
• Continuing Guangdong's "clear but not bland" wisdom

To me, steaming fish without ginger, scallion, and soy sauce is like missing its soul. Every time I drizzle it with boiling hot ginger and scallion oil, the aroma is so fragrant that it makes me salivate.

👉 Next time you eat steamed fish, try savoring it carefully. It turns out that ginger, scallion and soy sauce are not just a seasoning, but the soul of the dish!