Last Updated on March 31, 2025 by Simon Fan
There are endless possibilities of making steamed fish. I’ve shared several recipes on my blog before, including steamed fish with olive vegetable, with fermented black beans, with black mushrooms and goji berries, as well as a Shanghainese specialty with ham, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms.
Today I’m introducing another tasty option, inspired by a classic pairing beloved in Shanghai and the surrounding region— snow vegetable and green soybeans. The locals enjoy the simple stir-fry of snow vegetable (雪菜), a beautiful name they give to pickled potherb mustard, and green soybeans (毛豆, also known as edamame). It’s a great side dish for any meal, especially in the summer or as a condiment for congee. Sometimes tofu or pork is added to the stir-fry to turn it into a main dish, which is also a perfect topping for noodles.
When steamed with fish, they add layers of flavor and texture, making the dish at once familiar and exciting. I’m sure you’ll love it!
Snow vegetable is available in small packets or cans at Asian grocery stores. You can use either fresh or frozen green soybeans or this recipe.
Steamed fish with snow vegetable and green soybeans
Ingredients
2 oz (60 g) green soybeans (edamame), fresh or thawed frozen
⅔ oz (20 g) drained snow vegetable (雪菜) from a packet or can
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil
8 oz (230 g) fillet of grey sole or another white fish of your choice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 scallion, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
- If using fresh soybeans, blanch them in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well in a colander. If using thawed frozen beans, rinse and drain well. Finely chop the snow vegetable.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a skillet over high heat until hot, then add the soybeans and snow vegetable. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then transfer them to a bowl.
- Divide the fillet into 2 equal portions and season with the soy sauce and pepper. Place them on a heatproof plate that fits into your steamer (or two plates if using a two-tier steamer). Spread the stir-fried mixture over the fish and scatter the scallion pieces on top.
- Steam the fish over high heat until just cooked through (when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily), about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the fish to a serving plate and discard the scallion. Adjust the seasoning as needed, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon oil on top, and serve right away.
