When I was growing up in Queens New York during the 1950s, the only Asian food available to me was Chinese, specifically Cantonese. Fast forward to now, I live in Washington DC where restaurants and shops from different Asian countries abound. Chinese is the most ubiquitous and the offerings go far beyond Cantonese, but Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese are also very popular.
Among these Vietnamese is my favorite. This recipe comes from Into The Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen. Vietnamese cuisine uses a lot less oil and many more herbs and spices than Chinese and is not as spicy as Thai. Because Vietnam was occupied by multiple countries over the centuries its cuisine includes elements from all of them. China dominated Vietnam for centuries so it isn’t surprising that it had the most influence. This recipe was given to the author’s family by a Chinese friend.
Rice is the staple of the Vietnamese diet. Jasmine rice is the preferred type. It is aromatic and has a flowery and sweet bouquet. It is also slightly sticky.
One thing that sets Vietnamese cuisine apart is its use of whole sprigs of fresh herbs, soft lettuce and cucumber slices. It accompanies many dishes. Popular herbs used in Vietnamese cooking are: cilantro; Thai basil (or sweet basil if not available); lemongrass and garlic chives.
This recipe has lots of guest appeal. It is prepared in a bamboo steamer which can be brought to the table. Most steamers have a second tray into which you can put a vegetable: spinach; baby bok choy, or peapod leaves (which is my favorite). When plated the vegetables will soak up some of the sauce.
The sauce includes sugar, pepper, scallions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and as the name of this dish implies, garlic and ginger. These aromatic seasonings combine with the salmon juices to create a wonderful flavor that adds dimension to the taste of the fish and the accompanying rice.
Note: You can use salmon steaks or fillets to make this dish. I like to use the steaks because they add an element of surprise since fillets are so ubiquitous. Striped bass is a good substitute, but you will lose the beauty of the salmon’s rich pink color.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely shredded
- 3 scallions, green part only, chopped
For the salmon
- 1 scallion, white part only, cut lengthwise into strips
- 1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 2 pieces
- 4 sprigs cilantro
Directions
For the sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, pepper, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the oil into a small saucepan, and turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the ginger and cook until it is also fragrant, about one minute. Pour in the sauce, stir well, and wait for it to come to a boil. Then add the scallions, turn off the heat, and stir to combine. Set aside.
For the salmon
- Fill a large pot with a steamer tray halfway up with water, and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, find a heatproof plate or nonreactive plate or pie pan that will hold the salmon fillets and will also fit in the steamer tray with about 1 inch left around the edges.
- Toss half of the white scallion strips into the pan, and then place the salmon fillets on top. Pour the sauce on top of the salmon.
- Transfer the pan to the steamer tray. Cover the pot, and cook until fish is cooked, 8 to 10 minutes. A knife should be able to be inserted into the thickest part of the flesh easily. When done, turn off the heat.
- Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the remaining scallion strips and the cilantro.
- Carefully pick up the plate from the steamer and bring it to table.
Serves 4 – 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
