RECIPE: Steamed Lapu-Lapu (Binondo Style)

I served this for our dinner last night with Kiam Pong Rice (recipe to follow).  It was terrific and such an experience. 

i invited mama LUCIA (Kathy's mom) to teach me how to cook Steamed Lapu-Lapu Chinese Style

Lapu-Lapu or Grouper. When we buy fish in the wet market here in the Philippines we have it cleaned. Cleaning means scaling, getting rid of the gills and intestines.

Ingredients

put a litre of water in a STEAMER and set on the stove.

Marinate the fish in salt

slice the garlic thinly

cut the leeks julienne

Leeks julienne

cutting the leeks julienne style

I used my KITCHEN AID scissors to cut the leaves of the Leeks

cut the ginger julienne style

place all the cut vegetables in a plate including the kinchay (chinese Celery)

make a bedding around 1/4 of the vegetable mix in a pyrex dish 

put the Lapu-lapu on top of the bedding.  Carefully sprinkle at least 2 tbsp Coconut Brand Soy Sauce (i used this because it's not salty and gives the chinese Taste that i like in Binondo) On each side of the Lapu-lapu.  Insert sliced vegetables in the FISH slits . 

Top with the remaining Leeks, ginger, and kinchay

add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in between the lapu-lapu.  Left side and right side so the fish will retains its moisture.  Be Careful not to pour the water on top of the Lapu-lapu or you will wash off the marinade. 

add a dash of Magic Sarap

Lapu-lapu ready to go to the steamer

  place the leaves of leeks on top of LAPU-Lapu.  In a small saucepan heat up the cooking oil.   when very hot carefully pour on top of the fish to sear the vegetables.  Steam the LAPU-LAPU for 30 minutes

serve immediately

Ingredients

1 kilo  lapu-lapu (grouper), tilapia or trout OR 1 whole fish 
50 grams slices of ginger 
1/4 kilo  leeks
100 grams kinchay (chinese celery) 
5 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup water divided into 2
Coconut Brand Soy Sauce (Hoc Guan) 
1/4 cup cooking oil

Cooking procedure

• put a litre of water in a STEAMER and set on the stove.
• Marinate the fish in salt
• slice the garlic thinly
• cut the leeks julienne
• cut the ginger julienne style
• place all the cut vegetables in a plate including the kinchay (chinese Celery)
• In a small saucepan heat up the cooking oil. (this will be used in the before placing the lapu-lapu in the steamer) 
• in the meantime make a bedding around 1/4 of the vegetable mix in a pyrex dish put the Lapu-lapu on top of the bedding.  Carefully sprinkle at least 2 tbsp Soy Sauce. Insert sliced vegetables in the FISH slits. 
• Top with the remaining Leeks, ginger, and kinchay  
  
  • add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in between the lapu-lapu.  Left side and right side so the fish will retains its moisture.
  •   Be Careful not to pour the water on top of the Lapu-lapu or you will wash off the marinade.   
  • add a dash of Magic Sarap 
  • place the leaves of leeks on top of LAPU-Lapu.   
  • Remove the cooking oil when very hot and carefully pour on top of the fish to sear the Leeks.  
  • Steam the LAPU-LAPU for 30 minutes 
  • Put cooked fish in a serving platter and Serve Immediately