Steamed Grouper Fish

Place 1 fresh grouper fish (approx. 600g) into a large bowl and rinse under cold water to clean off surface slime and blood; thoroughly scrape and remove leftover viscera, blood clots, and black membrane inside the belly cavity, then rinse once more in clean water and drain.

Place the cleaned grouper flat on a cutting board, use a chef's knife to slit lengthwise down the belly; make several shallow diagonal cuts on both sides of the back, and make a longitudinal score along the spine so the fish can stand upright evenly.

Transfer the scored grouper into a large bowl; smash 30g ginger and cut 20g scallions into sections, put over the fish; squeeze and rub the ginger and scallions with hands to release their juice, rubbing thoroughly all over the fish skin, cuts, and inside cavity.

Pour 1 bottle (approx. 330ml) of cold beer into the bowl to submerge the fish body, then let it sit and marinate for 10 minutes (600 seconds).

While the fish marinates, slice 20g ginger thinly, cut half into fine shreds; cut 1 leek/large scallion (30g) diagonally into horseshoe slices and chop 10g small scallions into scallion rings; slice 0.5 red chili (15g) into thin threads, place chili threads and ginger shreds together into a bowl of cold water to curl up.

Take a large steaming plate, lay ginger slices and leek/scallion slices evenly across the bottom; remove the marinated grouper from beer bath, discard old scallion and ginger pieces, wipe surface dry and lay the fish onto the scallion-ginger bed; place a few fresh ginger slices on top and lightly sprinkle 2g (1/2 tsp) salt over the surface.

Use a pastry brush to apply 15ml cooking oil (or olive oil/tea seed oil) evenly across the fish skin and score slits.

Bring water in the steamer to a rolling boil; carefully place the steaming plate onto the steamer rack, cover tightly with the lid, and steam on high heat continuously for 10 minutes (600 seconds) until the fish is cooked through and the white eyeballs pop out.

Turn off heat and open lid, use a plate gripper/clamp to carefully lift out the hot steaming plate; tilt the plate to drain off all liquid released during steaming completely, then pick off and discard the wilted ginger and scallion slices on top of the fish using chopsticks.

Drain the soaked fresh ginger shreds and red chili threads, lay them neatly along the top of the fish, and sprinkle with chopped scallions; drizzle 30ml steamed fish soy sauce around the plate; heat 20ml cooking oil in a small pan until smoking slightly, then splash the boiling oil over the scallions, ginger, and chili threads to release intense aroma.