Steamed Pomfret in Secret Black Bean Sauce

Place the gutted and scaled pomfret on a cutting board; using a cleaver, make a incision about 1 inch deep along the back spine on both sides, creating shallow cuts so steam heat penetrates evenly and prevents the skin from tearing split.

Place two bamboo skewers in parallel on the steaming plate, then rest the fish on top of the skewers so it is elevated off the plate, allowing steam to circulate underneath freely.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp chopped black beans, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced shallot, 1 tsp chopped red chili, and 1/2 tsp minced dried tangerine peel; add 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp broth, and 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce; finally stir in 1/2 tsp cornstarch thoroughly until smooth with no lumps.

Spoon the prepared black bean sauce evenly over the top of the elevated pomfret until the fish surface is uniformly coated.

Place the fish dish into a preheated steamer over boiling water, cover tightly, and steam on high heat for 6 minutes until the fish eyes pop out, flesh is opaque and cooked, and sauce is glossy.

Sprinkle 1 tbsp chopped scallion over the cooked fish; heat 1.5 tbsp cooking oil in a ladle or small pan until smoking hot, then quickly pour the sizzling hot oil over the scallions to unleash fragrant aromas.