Fish Steamed with Malabar Spinach

Method

1. 1 Fillet the fish, cut it into 1.5 cm thick slices, and marinate with salt and ginger for 10 minutes.
2. 2 Arrange spinach leaves to completely cover the steaming plate, then place the fish slices on top of the leaves.
3. 3 Malabar spinach leaves are used both as a liner for the fish and to catch the fish juices, so the leaves cook up and become a flavorful side dish.
4. 4 Sprinkle ginger slices and scallion roots over the fish and steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
5. 5 Steaming for more than 12 minutes will make the spinach leaves mushy and the fish slices dry and tough.
6. 6 Mix fish sauce with lime juice and chili peppers, then drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with chopped scallions.

With an appliance

• Microwave 27 min

  Replace step 4: loosely cover the fish in the dish lined with spinach and microwave at 700 W for 7 minutes, then rest for 2 minutes to allow the fish to cook through without the spinach becoming soggy; steps 5–6 remain the same.