Teochew-style steamed pomfret is arguably the purest expression of fish cookery in the Singapore home kitchen. The method is restrained — the fish is allowed to speak, with salted preserved vegetables, tomato, ginger, and a preserved plum providing a balance of savouriness, acidity, and faint sweetness that elevates without overwhelming. A fresh whole pomfret steamed this way, taken to the table immediately, is one of the most satisfying things that can come out of a domestic wok.
The key to this dish is the freshness of the fish and the restraint of the cook. An oversteamed pomfret turns dry and loses the delicate texture that makes the species worth eating. A well-timed one — firm, just cooked through, yielding cleanly from the bone — is exceptional. Get the fish, check that it is bright-eyed and clean-gilled, and cook it the day you buy it.
Ingredients (serves 3 to 4 with other dishes)
- 1 whole white or golden pomfret, 500 to 600g, cleaned and scored on both sides
- 40g kiam chye (salted mustard vegetable), rinsed well and thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato, cut into thin wedges
- 3 slices fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
- 2 preserved sour plums (sng buay), lightly mashed
- 2 dried chillies, optional
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Method
- Score the fish with three diagonal cuts on each side, cutting almost to the bone. This helps the fish cook evenly and allows the aromatics to penetrate.
- Mix the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Lay the pomfret on a deep heatproof plate or in a shallow steaming bowl. Arrange the kiam chye, tomato wedges, ginger matchsticks, mashed preserved plum, and dried chillies (if using) over and around the fish.
- Pour the soy sauce mixture over the fish.
- Bring a wok of water to a hard boil. Place the plate on a steaming rack inside the wok. Cover tightly.
- Steam over high heat for 10 to 12 minutes for a 500 to 600g pomfret. The flesh should be just opaque at the bone when you check with a chopstick at the thickest part. Do not overcook.
- Remove from the steamer. Scatter the spring onion lengths over the fish.
- Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan until smoking and pour it directly over the spring onion. The sizzle will finish the aromatics and perfume the dish. Serve immediately.
Serving and Storage Notes
Serve directly at the table in the steaming plate with steamed white rice. The cooking liquid in the plate is as good as the fish itself — spoon it over rice generously. This dish does not store well; pomfret textures degrade quickly when refrigerated and reheated. Cook only what will be eaten, and aim to have the rice ready when the fish comes off the steam.
For young children eating at the family table, the salted vegetables make this dish quite salty for babies under 12 months. Reserve a small portion of plain steamed pomfret flesh (taken before adding the sauce) and serve that separately to the infant, flaked or mashed as appropriate for their age.