Ming cooking his Steamed Perch/Bluegill with Spicy Black Bean Sauce and Noodle Cake.

Ingredients:

2 perch (bluegill), scaled, gutted and scored
1 Tbs. fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. minced ginger
2 shallots, minced
1 Tbs. sambal
1/2-cup white wine
1 cup fine diced tomatoes (1/4-inch dice)
1 yellow bell pepper, fine diced (1/4-inch thick)
1 cup jicama, fine diced (1/4-inch thick)
2 cups fish stock (or chicken stock)
2 Tbs. basil strips (1/4-inch thick)
1-2 Tbs. butter
grape seed oil to cook
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Set up a steamer lined with lettuce or cabbage leaves.
   
2. Pat dry the fish inside and out.
   
3. Season inside and out.
   
4. Place in steamer and steam for 8-10 minutes until done.
   
5. In a sauté pan, coated lightly with oil, sauté the black beans, garlic, ginger until soft.
   
6. Add Sambal and deglaze with wine.
   
7. Reduce by 50 percent.
   
8. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, jicama, stock and basil.
   
9. Whisk in butter and taste for seasoning.
   
10. Lay fish on top of noodle cake and dress with sauce.
    
11. Garnish with scallions.

Copyright, 2000, Ming Tsai, All Rights Reserved