Ingredients
vegetable oil
1fresh ginger
½tbspginger,minced
¼cupsoy sauce
2tbspchinese rice wine,or dry sherry
1tspsugar
¼tspsesame oil,toasted
4scallions
4wild bass fillets,striped
salt
freshly ground white pepper
1tspchinese fermented black beans
2jalapeños
2tbspcilantro,chopped
Preparation
In a skillet, heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil. Add the ginger matchsticks and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 4 minutes, until golden brown.
Transfer the ginger to paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the skillet.
In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the rice wine, sugar, and sesame oil.
Set a bamboo steamer over a wok or an open steamer over a large, deep skillet. Add 2 inches of water to the wok and bring to a boil.
Scatter the dark green parts of the scallions on a heatproof plate that will fit inside the steamer.
Set the fish on the plate, skin side up. Using a knife, make 3 shallow slashes in the skin of each fillet
Pour the soy mixture over the fish and rub it all over. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the black beans and minced ginger on top.
Set the plate in the steamer. Cover and steam for 7 minutes, until the fish is just cooked.
Just before the fish is done, reheat the oil in the skillet. Add the remaining scallions and the jalapeños and cook over moderate heat for about 2 minutes.
Transfer the fish and its juices to shallow bowls. Top with the fried scallions, jalapeños, and ginger matchsticks.
Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
