Steamed fish and vegetables don’t have to be boring! This Steamed Salmon with Scallion-Ginger Sauce is an easy, healthy, and flavourful meal!
Sockeye salmon is steamed with my favourite vegetables (Napa cabbage, oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced carrots and bok choy) and topped with a savoury scallion-ginger sauce! This meal can easily be tailored to suit your taste, using your favourite fish and vegetables!
Size Matters
When steaming ingredients, their size really affects how they cook. Harder root vegetables like carrot, sweet potato, and taro need to be thinly sliced (2 to 3 mm thick) to cook alongside leafy vegetables or mushrooms. Leafy vegetables like bok choy, cabbage, or lettuce take only a few minutes to cook through. Therefore, it is best that all of your vegetables are cut to an appropriate size to ensure everything cooks evenly.
Similarly, the size of the fish fillets matters when steaming this recipe for Steamed Salmon with Scallion-Ginger Sauce. I cut the salmon fillets into 1-inch wile fillets that are also approximately 1-inch tall to ensure the fish cooks in the same time as the vegetables. I have made this recipe with halibut and cod before, and I do not find the cooking time varies that much as long as the filets are approximately this size.
The Best Scallion-Ginger Sauce
While steamed fish and vegetables are delicious and healthy, I add a bit more flavour with a homemade Scallion-Ginger Sauce. This sauce is traditionally served on Hainanese Chicken, a traditional Chinese dish. But I find this sauce goes with so many other recipes including this Steamed Salmon with Scallion-Ginger Sauce.
To bring out the flavours of the scallion and ginger, they are fried for a few minutes in hot grapeseed oil to release all their flavours. I do not cook them until crisp, just enough time to soften and become fragrant. The addition of sea salt and a dash of sesame oil add extra flavour and seasoning.
Get the Recipe!
Steamed Salmon with Scallion-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
For the Steamed Salmon and Vegetables
- 2 large lettuce leaves
- 2 leaves napa cabbage cunt into 2-inch pieces
- 5 to 6 slices of carrot sliced 2mm thick
- 1 bunch oyster mushrooms whole
- 3 baby bok choy halved
- 2 slices ginger thinly sliced
- 2 fillets sockeye salmon 1-inch thick
- Water for steaming
For the Scallion-Ginger Sauce
- 1 cup grapeseed oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup scallions finely shopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Fill a wide frying pan with water so that it is 1-inch deep. Place a bamboo steamer basket on top. The steamer basket should be elevated out of the water.
- Place the lettuce on the base of the steamer, then arrange the vegetables on top. Place the sliced ginger on top of the lettuce, then add the salmon fillets on top.
- Cover the steamer basket with the lid, then heat over medium-high heat until the water is almost boiling. Once you see steam and hear the water bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and let steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the Scallion-Ginger Sauce. Heat the grapeseed oil in a small frying pan. Once hot, add the ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the scallion and fry for another 2 minutes. The ginger and scallion should be soft, but not browned and crisp. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and add the salt and sesame oil. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Test the doneness of the fish and vegetables, then remove from the heat and top with the Scallion-Ginger Sauce. Enjoy!
