Shanghai-style steamed fish with ham, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms

Last Updated on November 27, 2020 by Simon Fan

Steamed whole fish is among the most emblematic dishes of Chinese cuisine. A quick steaming allows the natural flavor of the fish to shine through.

The Cantonese method of steaming fish with ginger and scallions and flavoring the dish with soy sauce is a simple and brilliant way to turn any mild-flavored fish into a masterpiece.

There are, however, other intriguing recipes of steamed fish in Chinese cooking. In Shanghai and its surrounding region, steaming whole fish with ham, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms creates an exquisite dish fit for a banquet. The combination of these three intensely aromatic and flavorful ingredients in the dish, a hallmark of local cooking in this region, adds an exciting array of flavors and textures to the sweet and succulent flesh of the fish.

If you think of the Cantonese steamed fish as a cup of refreshing green tea, the Shanghainese one would be a pot of intoxicating oolong tea.

Winter is the best time to make this dish, because fresh bamboo shoots are easily available, and the dish adds festivity to Chinese New Year celebrations. If you cannot find fresh bamboo shoots, use pre-cooked vacuum-packed shoots or frozen ones instead.

In China, Jinhua ham would be the preferred choice for this dish. Because it’s not available in the US, any dry-cured ham such as prosciutto, jamón, or country ham can be a good substitute. Another good option is the cured ham from Brooklyn-based Prime Food, which is made in a style similar to Jinhua ham and available at Asia grocery stores and online.

Traditionally, ham and bamboo shoots are cut into thin slices and inserted into the slashes cut into the fish fresh. I prefer to cut them into thin matchsticks and scatter them over the fish. You can try either way.

The recipe below works well with any mild-flavored white fish. For the dish in the picture, I used US-farmed barramundi, which is considered eco-friendly and sustainable.

Shanghai-style steamed fish with ham, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ginger juice squeezed from grated ginger
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
½ teaspoon salt
1 whole barramundi or another mild-flavored white fish (such as striped bass or branzino), about 1⅕ lb (540 g), scaled and gutted
1 oz (30 g) peeled and trimmed fresh bamboo shoots, or substitute pre-cooked vacuum-packed shoots or thawed frozen ones
1 oz (30 g) Chinese ham or other dry-cured ham (such as prosciutto, jamón, or country ham)
3 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in ½ cup (120 ml) warm water for 1 hour
2 scallions, white parts cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths and green parts cut into thin strips
Freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the ginger juice with the wine and salt. Make 5 to 6 diagonal cuts on each side of the fish. Rub the entire fish inside and out with the ginger mixture and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. If using fresh bamboo shoots, boil them in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
3. Place the ham in a heatproof bowl and steam over high heat for 5 minutes and let cool.
4. Squeeze to remove excess water from the shiitake mushrooms. Strain the soaking liquid and reserve.
5. Cut the bamboo shoots, ham, and shiitake mushrooms into thin matchsticks about 2 inches (5 cm) long. Mix them with the reserved soaking liquid, scallion whites, and a few grinds of white pepper.
6. Place the fish on a heatproof plate that fits into a steamer, and scatter the mixture on top of the fish. Steam over high heat until the fish is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the plate from the steamer, and discard the scallions.
7. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Garnish with the scallion greens and drizzle with the sesame oil. Serve right away.