What types of fish can I use in this Asian fish with ginger and soy recipe?

There are a number of good fish options for this simple dish. I've made it with almost every type of fish available to me, including: cod fillets, hake, red snapper, tilapia, catfish, Chilean sea bass, and haddock. Just about any type of white fish will work. It's one of the most adaptable fish recipes I've cooked. While I chose tilapia for this dish, the list above includes great alternatives.

Can I use frozen fish?

Absolutely. While I have made this with the freshest fish from our local fish market, I most often make it with any white fish fillets in my freezer or on sale that week. Any fish in filet form is ideal. My favorites are tilapia (or basa) and hake - both abundant in Portugal. Tilapia, cod and haddock would be good options in the U.S.

What can I serve with this Asian fish dish?

The recipe calls for topping the fish with spring onions, cilantro and red chilis. It would be so sad to serve this without white rice, so please don't make that mistake. The fish sauce is incredibly flavorful over white rice, but you might want to dial it up even more by serving Ginger Scallion Sauce . For side dishes, a cool cucumber salad (Din Tai Fung's recipe) would be lovely, as would a steaming dish of Chinese Eggplant with Oyster Sauce .

Can I bake this instead of cooking in a skillet?

I found that this skillet recipe was a great way to keep the flesh of the fish tender and flavorful while maintaining a short cooking process. I have not tried baking this recipe - if you try it, please let me know how it turns out.

How to store leftover fish?

Leftover fish can be stored in an airtight container in the fragrant fish sauce. Make a quick fried rice the next day, flaking the fish into the leftover white rice and topping with the sauce, along with fresh cilantro and spring onions.

Asian Fish with Ginger and Soy Recipe

Name: Simple Asian Fish with Ginger and Soy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds tilapia filets (or any mild whitefish), cut into 2-inch slices; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons neutral oil; 1/4 cup light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, julienned or minced; 2 tablespoons water; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon chili crisp; 2-3 green onions, julienned; 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves; 1-2 tablespoons red chili, sliced (see notes); Fresh lime wedges

Description

Those authentic Asian restaurant flavors of ginger and soy can be yours any night of the week in your very own kitchen.

Ingredients

Scale

For the fish:

1.5 pounds tilapia filets (or any mild whitefish), cut into 2-inch slices

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons neutral oil

For the sauce:

1/4 cup light soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, julienned or minced

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon chili crisp

For Service:

2-3 green onions, julienned

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

1-2 tablespoons red chili, sliced (see notes)

Fresh lime wedges

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Instructions

Combine salt, pepper and cornstarch. Dust over fish pieces then set aside.
Make the sauce by combining julienned ginger, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sugar, rice wine vinegar and chili crisp. Mix to combine and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add fish one at a time, ensuring they are laying side by side in one layer (no overlapping). Cook fish for 3 minutes, then carefully flip over. Add ginger soy sauce to the skillet.
Bring to a simmer and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Test fish for doneness and remove from the heat.
Top with julienned green onions, red chilis and cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges over steamed rice.

Notes

For the red chili, fresno or anaheim will work if you can find them. In a pinch, your local Asian market will likely have small red birdseye chilis - be warned that these are usually on the spicier end of the scale, so start with one small. Or you could throw all caution to the wind and grab a fresh jalapeno.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 10
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian