Steamed sea bass with aged tangerine peel and ginger gai lan
Whole sea bass steamed with shredded aged tangerine peel and ginger, finished with sizzling oil, plus gai lan stir-fried with ginger juice and wine — light but satisfying.
- 30 min
- Serves 3
- Steam
- Easy
Why it suits you: Phlegm-Dampness types feel heavy, produce more phlegm and carry weight around the middle. Start of Winter is tonic season, but rich, greasy tonics only add to the damp. Sea bass is light and supports digestion, tangerine peel clears phlegm and ginger gai lan warms the middle — a lean, clean way to nourish.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min- 1Clean the fish, pat dry and score each side twice. Soak the tangerine peel, scrape off the pith and shred finely.
- 2Lay two spring onions on a plate, put the fish on top and scatter with the peel and half the ginger. Steam over high heat for 8–10 minutes, then leave covered off the heat for 1 minute.
- 3Pour away the liquid on the plate, top with the shredded spring onion and remaining ginger, pour over sizzling hot oil and then the soy sauce.
- 4Cut the gai lan into lengths and stir-fry in a little oil over high heat for 1 minute. Add the wine, ginger juice, sugar and 2 tbsp water and cook until tender.
Cautions
- Seasoned soy sauce is salty — halve it if you have high blood pressure.
Chef's tips
- Allow 8–10 minutes for a 600 g fish. Steaming the tangerine peel with the fish lets its fragrance soak in.
The TCM view
Sea bass is sweet and neutral, strengthening the spleen and kidneys and building qi. Tangerine peel is pungent, bitter and warm, moving qi, drying damp and resolving phlegm. Ginger is pungent and warm, warming the middle and removing fishiness. Gai lan is sweet, pungent and cool and helps clear phlegm; cooking it with ginger juice and wine takes the chill off. Neutral to slightly warm, it resolves phlegm without heaviness.
