Simplified Version of Steamed Salmon with Salted Black Beans (豆鼓蒸魚)

This is basically a fuss-free cooking recipe since no heavy-duty preparation and aftermath required. All you need to do is fix up a few ingredients and marinate the salmon fillet. Pop the fish into a steamer, about 20 minutes later, you'll have a healthy side dish ready on the dinner table.

Simplified version of steamed salmon with salted black beans 豆鼓蒸魚 -

Ingredients?

• 0.5 lb salmon fillet
• 2 tablespoons salted black beans (the wet, soaked in oil version)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red chili
• 1 small stalk scallion (only need the bottom white section)

How?

Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Trim off the chili stem and finely chop the remaining part. Trim off the scallion stem and slice the white section into thin strips. Soak in ice-cold water to make the scallion curls up.

Add about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water to the steamer, or prepare the steamer depending on its instruction.

Mix garlic slices, chopped chilies, salted black beans, soy sauce, and rice cooking wine in a container. Marinate the salmon with this mixture for about 10 minutes.

Transfer the fish along with its marinade to a steamable cookware. Into the steamer and steam for around 20 minutes. Wrap the container with cling foil first if needed, this helps preventing water droplets from falling into the container. 

Once ready, serve the fish as a whole or separate into single serving pieces. Take some white section of the scallion curls pat dry. Garnish on top of the fish right before serving.

There are many more elaborate versions of steamed salmon with salted black beans, but this one is easy and still hits most of the flavor profile. The key is to buy the best salted black beans possible. You can really taste the difference especially when only a handful of seasonings were used.


Other salmon recipes:

• Grilled salmon ciabatta sandwich for two - with a hint of creole seasoning
• A lighter option - casarecce pasta with bacon chunks and smoked salmon
• No fuss cooking and healthy eating recipe - shio koji marinated salmon fillet
• Relaxing morning - smoked salmon and soft scrambled eggs croissant sandwich
• Pasta salad with Japanese salted salmon, arugula, and orange juice vinaigrette