September 11, 2018

Preserved Lime Black Bean Steamed Fish 咸檸豉汁蒸魚

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As promised, a yummilicious way to use your homemade Chinese preserved limes 咸檸檬 in a savory dish!  We usually use our Chinese salt preserved limes to mix up the refreshing Chinese Preserved Lime Tonic Drink 咸檸 7 (see our recipe at bottom of page here), which magically soothes sore throats like nobody's business. But these luscious salty tangy limes can also be used in savory dishes as a tart yet salty counterpoint.  

We added the salty preserved limes here to a traditional black bean steamed fish and it transforms an old comfort dish into something new and ultra yummy.  Try our Preserved Lime Black Bean Steamed Fish 咸檸豉汁蒸魚 and taste the difference!

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Preserved limes are delicious, a touch salty and a touch limey; preserving the limes gives them a whole new taste that is really unique and quite addictive.  I know that I find myself longing for a taste every once in a while, it really lingers in your food memory, if you know what I mean.  

They are wonderful simply smooshed to release their flavor in a glass of 7up and they are also wonderful as a flavor condiment, as we will use them in this recipe.  These brined limes are super easy to make, check out our Chinese Preserved Lime recipe, or just get a jar at your nearest asian market.  

Black Bean, chinese, Preserved Lime, recipe, steamed fish, salted lime, salted lemon, 咸檸, 蒸魚, 豉汁,

Any fish with firm tender white meat can be used for steaming.  We found a lovely fresh pomfret at the wet market that day, delicious for its firm but delicate white meat.  Not too many bones everywhere either, just a few big bones and lots of meat so it's a good dish to serve children and people like me who always manage to get poked by the fish bones.

Black Bean, chinese, Preserved Lime, recipe, steamed fish, salted lime, salted lemon, 咸檸, 蒸魚, 豉汁,

There are so many flavors in this dish and that is what makes it gorgeously comforting.  Here are the ingredients that you will need.  Clockwise from the top left: garlic, Chen Pi dried mandarin peel 陳皮 (read about how to make your own chen pi), deep fried tofu puff 豆腐泡, chili, fermented black beans 豆豉 and cilantro.  

The tofu puffs are the surprise treat in this version of chinese steamed fish: cut open and arranged under the fish, the tofu puffs absorb all the delicious juices as the fish steams.  A bite of the puff is a taste of all the flavors of this dish melded together.  When we had this steamed fish last night I intentionally accidentally ate up all the tofu puffs before anyone noticed, he, he!

Black Bean, chinese, Preserved Lime, recipe, steamed fish, salted lime, salted lemon, 咸檸, 蒸魚, 豉汁,

 The fermented black bean 豆豉, dried mandarin peel 陳皮 are chopped fine and mixed with rice wine, sugar and oil before being mashed together in a mortar and pestle.  See our unique and yummilicious Chinese Black Bean Sauce 豆豉醬 recipe for the recipe and all the hints and tips.

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Chinese preserved lime 咸檸檬
Black Bean,chinese,蒸魚,Preserved Lime,salted lime,recipe,豉汁,咸檸,steamed fish,salted lemon
Chopped up, use as relish!

And for the magic transformational ingredient, the addition that pushes the dish up a few notches, adds a zing and a zap...the Chinese preserved lime 咸檸檬!  Just pluck a lime out of your jar, chop it fine and add into the black bean sauce mix.  Instant tasty magic!  

Actually, what you've got is an instant condiment.  Chinese preserved lime condiment.  A bit salty, a bit sour, a tiny bit sweet, it's really could be a condiment that you just add to things to zap em up a notch.  Plus it looks just like relish...hum...maybe add it to a hot dog and presto!  A Chinese Dog?!  

We hope you all enjoy Preserved Lime Black Bean Steamed Fish, our variation of traditional black bean steamed fish that uses chinese preserved lime in a savory dish.  If you have other ways of using the preserved salted lime do let us know!

Black Bean, chinese, Preserved Lime, recipe, steamed fish, salted lime, salted lemon, 咸檸, 蒸魚, 豉汁,
Preserved Lime Black Bean Steamed Fish
咸檸豉汁蒸魚
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole fish
  • 2-3 tbsp black bean sauce 豆豉醬 (see our recipe here)
  • 1 chinese preserved salted lime 咸檸檬 (see our recipe here)
  • 1-2 chili peppers
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 10 deep fried tofu puffs 豆腐泡

Directions:

Wash and dry fish.  Mince the chinese preserved lime.  Mix with the black bean sauce.  Cut the tofu puffs in half.  Wash chili and chop.  Wash and dry cilantro and roughly chop.

Put tofu puffs onto steaming plate, cut side down.  Place fish on top of puffs.  Smear black bean lime sauce all over the fish except fins and head.    Steam over high heat for 10 mins.  Remove from heat and sprinkle chili and cilantro over the sauce.  Serve hot and enjoy!

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