Your Chinese New Year meal will not be complete without any silver pomfret dish. Having a plate of pomfret fish on your table during Chinese New Year is a must.
We have a simple yet tasty Teochew-style steamed white pomfret recipe for you to spoil your loved ones with!
This fish is rich in the taste of natural sweetness and has a fine texture—perfect to be shared with your family.
Brace yourself for Dr Nicole’s special Teochew-style steamed white pomfret!
Dr Nicole’s Special Silver Pomfret Recipe
Trying out Dr Nicole‘s special Teochew-style steamed white pomfret for your Chinese New Year celebration is a great move to earn some bonus points. This dish might have a clear broth but it contains flavoursome ingredients that can shock your palette!
Plus, this dish is a must-have during Chinese New Year. It is also a true representation of Teochew cuisine—rich in savoury, tangy and spicy flavours, yet very nutritious!
Hidden Meaning Behind Fishes
In Chinese culture, traditional food and ingredients are often richly embedded with meanings, and no time is this more evident than during Chinese New Year, when dishes and meals are symbolic of specific hopes for the upcoming year. This also applies to fish. Fish conveys the meaning of an overflow of prosperity, luck and fortune for the year ahead. There is also a tradition where the fish is the final dish during the festive occasion and there will be leftovers to symbolise yearly surplus.
Pros of Eating Chinese Pomfret
Did you know that Chinese pomfrets are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids? Fish oil can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels. This fish is also a great source of magnesium, minerals and iron. These can help you promote a healthy enzyme activity and red blood cell formation. Not only that, Chinese pomfrets also contain many vitamins like vitamin B2, B12 and D as well as being low in mercury. Chinese pomfrets are quite similar to normal pomfrets but are softer and more expensive.
Teochew Style Steamed White Pomfret
Ingredients
Ingredient A
- 400 g white pomfret cleaned & patted dry
- 1/4 rsp salt
Ingredient B
- 1 tomato sliced into wedges
- 3 pickled sour plums
- 2 shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- 4-5 slices ginger
- 100 g salted vegetables sliced
- chopped spring onions & coriander for garnishing
- fried shallot for garnishing
Instructions
- Rub salt on both sides of the fish and set in a heatproof dish for steaming.
- Insert 4-5 slices of ginger into the fish belly.
- Arrange the steaming dish.
- Arrange the sliced salted vegetables, tomatoes, sour plum, and mushrooms around the fish and place sliced ginger slices on top.
- Add 50 ml of water (optional)
- Complete arrangement of steaming dish and steam for 8-10 mins or until fish is thoroughly cooked.
- Remove from the steamer.
- Garnish with spring onions, fresh coriander, and fried shallots.
Notes
Have a tasty and nutritious meal this Chinese New Year
Remember to enjoy the warmth of this festive celebration with nutritious and finger-licking good dishes on your table. May this new year bring you peace, prosperity, and happiness!
Do try out these two prosperity vege recipes for Chinese New Year here. And let’s find out our Chinese Zodiac Forecast For 2022 together here.
Check out this article to discover the dos and don’ts for a happier CNY.
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!