I’ve always have trouble making whole fish.  This problem is especially evident when Lunar New Year rolls around, where hopeful Asians prepare various delicacies as an invitation for fortunes to come.  I like eating whole fish because they have less mercury accumulation.  Now that Mom is here this week to help take care of my delicate post-op system (unfortunately I had some complications and was forced to return home for yet another week), I seized this opportunity to observe her culinary prowess.  Her Silkie chicken herbal broth tastes richer and deeper.  Her fish somehow turns out tender and well… whole.  Here’s how she makes it:

Eats: Japanese sea bass with ginger, scallion and Thai chili  pepper

Makes 2 serving

 Ingredients:

•  1 Japanese sea bass
•  2  scallion, finely sliced
•  2-3 garlic, sliced
•  6-7 slices of ginger, finely sliced
•  4 chilli pepper, finely sliced
•  Kosher salt
•  1-2 Tsp of olive oil, enough to cover pan
• 1 Tsp of low sodium soy sauce

Steps

• Score the sea bass as shown in picture
  
• Heat olive oil in pan in medium heat.  Use a larger pan if you have it so that you can fit the entire fish.  We didn’t.
•  Sprinkle Kosher salt in oil to create a layer of salt so that the fish skin doesn’t stick to the bottom.  Don’t worry, you won’t taste it because most of the salt stays in the oil and not on the fish! 
•  Place fish in the pan.  Flip to the other side ONLY when you can move the fish easily with the spatula.  The key is to not move it too much.
  
•  To ensure done-ness, sprinkle a little bit of water in the pan, turn off the heat and place cover on the pan for 1 minute.  This will steam the inside of the fish and keep it tender.
  
•  Transfer fish to plate
  
•  Stir fry ginger, garlic, chili pepper, soy sauce.  Add scallion last
•  Arrange the fragrant ginger mixture atop fish

Voila!  It takes less than 20 minutes to prep and makes for great nutritious lunch.  Hope you find this recipe useful.  Enjoy!