Zhu Ye Qing Tea-Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallion
A delicate steamed white fish infused with Zhu Ye Qing's chestnut-sweet aroma, brightened with ginger and scallion oil for a clean, modern Sichuan-inspired dish.
This dish borrows a technique often used with delicate Chinese green teas: steaming food directly over a brewing infusion so the steam itself carries the tea's aroma into the dish. Zhu Ye Qing's smooth, chestnut-sweet character is ideal for this because it never turns bitter or overpowering, even with extended steaming time.
A firm white fish fillet — sea bass, tilapia, or cod all work well — sits on a heatproof plate above a pot of gently steeping Zhu Ye Qing, so the rising steam perfumes the flesh as it cooks. The result is a fish that tastes cleaner and slightly sweeter than a plain steam, with a faint green-tea fragrance that's more aroma than flavor.
Fresh ginger and scallion, both classic partners to steamed fish in Chinese cooking, are layered underneath and over the fillet before steaming, then finished with a quick hot-oil pour that crackles the aromatics and releases their fragrance right at the table.
Serve simply, over steamed rice, with the tea-infused steaming liquid spooned lightly over the top. This is a quiet, elegant dish — built around restraint rather than bold seasoning, much like the tea itself.
Ingredients
- 1 whole white fish fillet (about 500g), such as sea bass or tilapia
- 2 tbsp dried Zhu Ye Qing leaves
- 2 cups water (for the steaming infusion)
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, half julienned, half sliced
- 3 scallions, julienned, white and green parts separated
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or peanut)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- Salt, to taste
How to make it
- 1Bring the water to a near boil, add the Zhu Ye Qing leaves, and let steep gently (off direct heat) while you prepare the fish — this will be your steaming liquid.
- 2Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt, and rub with Shaoxing wine. Lay sliced ginger and scallion whites underneath the fillet on a heatproof plate.
- 3Set up a steamer with the tea infusion (leaves and all) as the steaming liquid. Place the plate of fish in the steamer basket and steam for 8–10 minutes, until just cooked through.
- 4Remove the fish, scatter ginger julienne and scallion greens over the top, and drizzle with soy sauce and sugar dissolved in a splash of the warm tea liquid.
- 5Heat the oil until just smoking and carefully pour it over the ginger and scallions — it should sizzle loudly. Serve immediately over steamed rice.
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