It took a while before my son would consistently like to eat fish that was not fried. This basa filet was the white fish that helped me to transition him from fried filets and fish sticks. He is sensitive to textures so he refuses to eat basa filets that are brined in less than 15% salt solution. Gotta focus on the small victories!
I love that I can prep the aromatics (green onions, cilantro, and garlic) when the fish is steaming. That helps to cut the prep time down and sometimes I can actually do this dish start to finish in 15 minutes or less! Make sure to start cooking your rice first though.
Health Benefits: Basa (aka Swai)
To tackle the high salt content of basa filet and take advantage of the omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and protein, we only eat this dish every other month. I also use a small amount of low sodium soy sauce and serve it with lots of vegetables to offset the salt. The B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids are great for healthy brains and blood vessels. Is Basa Fish Healthy? Nutrition, Benefits, and Dangers (medicinenet.com). It’s still not clear whether it can help reduce the risk of high cholesterol. But I will take skipping fried fish for this dish for the easiness on my digestive system.
Do I need a steamer or a wok?
No! You don’t need too much special equipment to make this recipe. I don’t have storage space for a steamer basket myself so I use a steaming rack and a plate that fits inside my largest saute/fryer pan.
Instead of paying $25.00 or more for steamed shoyu ginger basa filets at restaurants, try this easy recipe at home. Let me know how it turned out!
Steamed Soy Sauce Ginger Basa Filet
Equipment
- 1 large pan at least 10" wide
- 1 steaming rack
- 1 large plate 8" to 9" wide
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 5" saute pan
Ingredients
- 2 basa filets, defrosted about 12 to 14 ounces total
- ½ bunch cilantro (optional) chopped
- ½ tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil
- ⅛ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and chopped into matchsticks
- ½ bunch green onions (about 2 to 3 bulbs) cut into 2" lengths and then into strips lengthwise
Instructions
- Put the steaming rack in the center of the large pan and fill with water so the water is about 1 to 1 ½ inches tall. Heat water on high with the cover on until boiling.
- Place defrosted basa filets on the plate. Put the plate onto the steaming rack when the water is boiling. Cover and steam fish for about 8 minutes until a fork or butter knife easily goes through the thickest part of the fish.
- Carefully take the plate off the steaming rack and drain the liquid in the plate. Put the plate on a trivet or pot holder or place the fish on a new plate. Spread cilantro (optional) over the top of the fish.
- Heat the small saute pan on medium high heat. Add canola oil, ginger, and green onions and saute for 1 minute until fragrant to create a sauce. Pour the sauce over the fish and cilantro (optional). If you want, put some raw green onions and cilantro over the top. Nothing wrong with extra green herbs!
- Serve with steamed rice and steamed or blanched vegetables.
