Steamed Fish with Chopped Salted Chiles

• 1 whole lemon sole, gutted (about 14 oz.)
• 1 tbsp. shaoxing wine
• ¾-in. piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and smashed
• 1 whole scallion, smashed
• 1, tsp. black fermented beans, rinsed
• 1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 4 tbsp. chopped salted chiles
• 2 scallions, green parts only, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp. peanut oil for cooking

1. Make several diagonal slashes into the fish at intervals of about 1 inch to let the flavors penetrate. Rub with the Shaoxing wine and set aside. Place the smashed ginger and scallion in the middle of a deep heatproof plate that will fit into your steamer.

2. Heat the wok over a high flame until smoke rises, then add the oil and swirl around. Add the black beans and chopped ginger and stir-fry briefly until fragrant.

3. Drain the wine and juices from the fish, then lay it over the ginger and scallion. (Their purpose is to let the steam circulate around the fish, and to enhance its flavor.) Cover the fish evenly with the chiles, and then scatter with the beans and ginger from the wok.

4. Put the plate in your steamer and steam over a high heat until just cooked and a chopstick easily slides into the thickest part of the fish. A 14-ounce fish should take about 5 minutes.

5. Serve on the steaming plate with a scattering of sliced scallion.

Variations

An alternative to this recipe is one made with pickled green chiles, which looks nice garnished with a sprig of coriander (cilantro). Or you might like to follow the example of some Hunan restaurants and offer a “double-chili” steamed fish head (or fish), half covered in scarlet chopped salted chiles, half in green pickled chiles.