This is my all-time favorite healthy Asian fish recipe that is not only easy to make if I need a quick lunch or dinner but also nutritious. Serve with brown rice to add more fiber to complete your dish and you are good to go.
Cook this Oven-Steamed Fish with Garlic, Ginger, and Lime with me!
I came across this steaming method in the oven when I noticed my steamer was too small to fit the fish. Since my apartment came with an oven, I figured I could use it to steam as well!
What you will love about this oven-steamed fish with garlic, ginger and lime recipe
Apart from being aromatic with a zesty taste, the steaming method, in general, keeps the food nutritious. Steaming has been shown to retain greater Vitamin C concentration than boiling.
Since this oven-steamed fish with garlic, ginger, and lime contains several ingredients high in Vitamin C, it will not only delight your taste buds but also benefit from the nutrients and anti-inflammatory ingredients!
Let’s talk about the ingredients in this recipe.
What fish you can use in this recipe
For this recipe and other Asian-style steam fish recipes, there is quite a variety of fish you can choose from. These are the examples;
- Garoupa
- Barramundi
- Cod
- Red snapper
- Pomfret
- Tilapia
I chose barramundi because it was the freshest fish in the market and I am more familiar with its taste. Feel free to use any white fish if none of them are available in your country. If you are getting whole fish like mine, I suggest deboning the fish first or asking the butcher in the fish market to do it for you.
In case you need tips on choosing a fresh fish, scroll down to the FAQ section.
Garlic and ginger
This superfood is also an ingredient in many food recipes in Southeast Asia and is my favorite anti-inflammatory ingredient. These are the benefits of garlic and ginger;
- Provides anti-inflammatory benefits
- Helps with digestion
- Good for the brain
- May help to reduce blood sugar levels
- Contains anti-cancer properties
- Help to boost the immune system
In this recipe, the best way to maximize the taste of ginger and garlic is to press or grate it. This method brings out the juice and flavor more than chopping.
Pineapple juice
I added pineapple juice to this oven-steamed fish recipe to reduce the amount of palm sugar and add more zest to the food. Since my husband is quite picky about fish taste, this helps reduce the fish smell.
Like lime juice, pineapple juice is also rich in Vitamin C, which gives anti-inflammatory properties as well as benefits to our skin. Choose a sweet pineapple and double the amount if you wish to omit the sugar in this recipe.
Chicken stock
To maintain the nutrition content, I suggest you go for homemade chicken stock instead of highly processed ones that come in cubes or boxes. They might contain high levels of sodium, artificial flavoring, or preservatives that can be harmful to your health in the long run.
I don’t usually make my chicken stock from scratch. Instead, I buy from a trusted source of homemade chicken broth, and I freeze it into cubes using a silicone cube mold.
Coriander/ Cilantro
This is a famous ingredient in Thai food. I heard that people either hate it or love it due to its strong taste. I hope you are the latter because the cilantro does make this food bursting with flavor. In this recipe, we are using both the root and the leaves.
Why the root?
This is a secret ingredient for aromatic Thai food. Not only does coriander root contain antioxidants, but it also releases a nice citrusy fragrance while cooking, enhancing the aroma of the dish. Since many Thai foods are cooked with seafood, the aroma of coriander roots helps to balance the fish’s taste.
Lemongrass
Another anti-inflammatory ingredient that makes the food flavorful and aromatic is lemongrass. Smashed or bruised lemongrass releases an aroma better than chopping it with a knife. Also, when bruised, it is easier to remove the lemongrass before eating.
Palm sugar – optional
If there’s a need for me to cook with sugar, I prefer to use natural palm sugar. It is a better alternative than refined white sugar, which gives no other than a sweet, empty carb. Palm sugar contains more micronutrients magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc and Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C compared to white sugar.
Note that, palm sugar can still cause a spike in your sugar levels (although it’s less than white sugar), so it is advised to take it in moderation. In this recipe, you can skip palm sugar and add 2 extra tablespoon of sweet pineapple juice. It gives you more gravy to sip!
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is no secret when it comes to Thai foods. It adds saltiness and umami flavor to the food. Natural fish sauce contains high amounts of amino acids and omega 3 (depending on the type of fish).
I always prefer Red Boat fish sauce as it contains only natural ingredients, which are wild-caught black anchovies from the clear waters of Vietnam called Phu Quoc, and fermented with seawater. If you are like me, who prefers minimally processed fish sauce with no chemical preservatives, sugar, and MSG, this fish sauce is just perfect.
Scallion / Spring Onion
For this recipe, I use the whole spring onion, from the green part to the white part. The white part has a more pungent taste. So if you fancy a sharp taste, always include the white part of the scallion in your dish for a natural flavor and texture.
Frequently asked questions
How to steam fish if you don’t have a steamer.
If you don’t have a steamer, you can steam it with an oven like I do in this steam fish recipe. Like a standard steaming method with a steamer, the water vapor needs to be trapped in a covered space to cook the fish. The cover can be aluminum foil or parchment paper. The steps are as follows:
- Lay the fish and the ingredients in the foil with some liquid ingredients like chicken stock.
- Seal the packet of foil and allow some space for the water vapor.
- Place sealed fish packets in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes (depending on your fish size and thickness) over 200C. You will know it’s cooked when it’s no longer pink.
How do you know the fish is fresh?
To know if the fish is fresh, you must use your vision, touch, and smell senses.
- See the eyes and the skin. A fresh fish’s eyes are transparent and shiny, like how they look when swimming in the aquarium, instead of cloudy, bulging, and discolored.
- Look for the skin and body. If it looks greyish, they are probably not that fresh anymore. Fresh fish have a shiny metallic scale, and the meat should look white and slightly pinkish, meaning they still have fresh blood.
- Lift the fish with your palm; it should easily slide through your hand due to the slime around the body. The slime is due to the fish’s natural protection from diseases and parasites (when they are alive).
- You should also peek at the gill to see if it is as red as blood. If it is greyish, leave it.
- Try squeezing the body with your finger to see if it bounces back. If it creates a dent after you lift your finger, it is not as fresh anymore.
You may also like
- THAI HOT AND SOUR CHICKEN TOM YUM SOUP OR TOM YUM GAI
- AUTHENTIC TOM YUM NAM SAI WITH PRAWN
- THAI MANGO SALAD
- VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD
Oven-steamed fish with garlic, ginger and lime
Course: MainCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy15
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minutesThis delicious steamed fish cooked in the oven takes only 15 minutes to make. It is packed with ingredients that are rich in antioxidant goodness.
Ingredients
2 fillets of white fish
4 cloves of garlic – Pressed or grated to get the most flavor
3 tbsp of lime juice
2 thumb sizes of ginger / around 9g – Pressed or grated
2 bird’s eye chilli – Thinly sliced
2 stalks of coriander with roots – Cut the root, separate the leaves from the stalks, and chop the leaves. We are using both the root and the leaves.
2 tbsp of natural fish sauce – I use Red boat sauce
1 tsp of palm sugar (optional)
1/2 cup of natural homemade chicken stock
4 tbsp of pineapple juice (Add 2 more tbsp if you choose not to add sugar)
2 stalks of lemongrass – smashed/ bruised
Directions
- Preheat the oven under 200c
- Line a foil into a casserole or baking pan and arrange the fish in it
- Slide each of the bruised lemongrass under the fish
- Fold the foil over and seal the packet by pinching the sides
- Bring the fillet wrap to the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 mins
- In a separate pan, add all ingredients except for lime and pineapple juice.
- Over a medium heat, bring it to simmer for 2 minutes – You can do this in a microwave as well
- Turn off the heat, add pineapple juice and lime juice to the mixture, and stir together
- Once the fish is cooked, pour the mixture on the fish
- Garnish with more coriander – Optional
Recipe Video
Notes
- Using fresh fish or good quality fish is vital to guarantee the tastiness of this dish.
- You may reduce the chili if you don’t eat spicy.
- Never cook the lime juice or sliced lime in high heat. It will result in a bitter taste.
🥣 Did you try this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below.
