China · Cantonese

Stemented White Eel with Black Bean Sauce

Name: Stemented White Eel with Black Bean Sauce
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: white eel 250 g; black beans 1 tsp; garlic 2 pieces; ginger 3 pieces; scallion 1 pieces; light soy sauce 1.5 tsp; dark soy sauce 0.5 tsp; sugar 0.5 tsp; sesame oil 0.5 tsp; cornstarch 1 tsp; water 1 tsp; red chilli 10 g

White eel steamed under a black bean and garlic paste, the flesh silky and sweet and taking up all the savoury steam. A Cantonese classic.

13 minutes · 4 servings · Moderate

The steaming method matters more than the sauce here, because eel that is overcooked turns rubbery and one that is undercooked tastes muddy. Laying the fish on scallion and ginger rather than a bare plate lifts it off the heat and lets the steam circulate underneath. Salted, fresh black beans are the traditional choice, and their funk is what keeps the dish from tasting flat.

Ingredients

white eel250 g
black beans1 tsp
garlic2 pieces
ginger3 pieces
scallion1 pieces
light soy sauce1.5 tsp
dark soy sauce0.5 tsp
sugar0.5 tsp
sesame oil0.5 tsp
cornstarch1 tsp
water1 tsp
red chilli10 g

Directions

1
Checking and cleaning the eel:
2
Preparing the sauce:
3
Arranging on the plate:
4
Steaming:
5
Garnishing and finishing:

Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.