Ginger & spring onion steamed fish with mixed-grain rice and choy sum
Silky steamed fish with chewy mixed grains and crisp greens — filling and kind to blood sugar.
- 40 min
- Serves 2
- Cantonese home-style
- Steam
- Easy
Why it suits you: Fibre-rich mixed grains, lean protein and plenty of greens help blood sugar rise more slowly, and the neutral ingredients suit most constitutions without feeling heavy at dinner.
Ingredients
To buy (2)
- Fish fillet (sole or sea bream)300 g
- Choy sum300 g
You have & pantry (5)
- Mixed grains (brown rice, red rice, quinoa)90 g uncooked
- Fresh gingerthumb-sized piece, shredded
- Spring onions2, shredded
- Reduced-salt soy sauce1 tbsp
- Cooking oil2 tsp
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min- 1Rinse the mixed grains and cook them in the rice cooker with 1.5 times the water; soak for 30 minutes first if you have time.
- 2Pat the fish dry, lay it on a heatproof plate and top with half the ginger.
- 3Steam over boiling water on high heat for 6–8 minutes, until the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily.
- 4Meanwhile, blanch the choy sum in boiling water with a few drops of oil for 1–2 minutes, then drain.
- 5Pour off the steaming liquid, top the fish with the spring onion and remaining ginger, then drizzle with a little hot oil and the soy sauce.
- 6Serve each person a modest bowl of rice with the fish and greens — eat the vegetables and fish first, then the rice.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
Glycaemic load：Low- Energy
- 370 kcal
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Protein
- 33 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 4.5 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 380 mg
AI estimate for guidance only — actual values depend on portions and ingredients.
Adjusted for your needs
- Mixed grains instead of white rice — about 36 g carbohydrate per serving.
- Eating the vegetables and fish before the rice helps slow the rise in blood sugar.
Cautions
- If you have diabetes, agree the rice portion with your doctor or dietitian.
- Not suitable if you are allergic to fish.
Chef's tips
- Pat the fish dry before steaming for a silkier texture.
- Cook a big batch of grains and freeze it in portions; rice that has been cooled and reheated may have more resistant starch, which is gentler on blood sugar.
The TCM view
Fish is neutral and sweet: it strengthens digestion and qi without feeling heavy. Ginger and spring onion are pungent and warm, lifting the flavour and balancing the cooler choy sum. Steaming and blanching are gentle methods that keep the dish light and not drying.
Suits: Watching blood sugar, Qi Deficiency, Balanced
