Steam powered: a Chinese chef creates healthy, fresh dinners using a classic method

Sunset, Feb, 2008 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

ASK CHEF ANDY WAI what the Chinese value about Cantonese cuisine, and he'll tell you it's how the taste of fresh ingredients always shines through. "Original flavor," he says. "You can see [it in] the color and presentation, smell and taste it." Steaming is one technique that helps preserve that flavor.

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Wai knows what he's talking about. Trained in classic Chinese and Western cuisines in Hong Kong, he came to the United States in 1988 to work for San Francisco's Harbor Village restaurant, where he was the executive chef from 1992 to 2005. Now he has his own spacious, light-filled restaurant, Chef Wai, in downtown San Mateo, 20 miles south of San Francisco.

Tucked into one end of the kitchen is a stainless steel cabinet constantly filled with clouds of steam. He pulls open the door and slides in a plate with fish and tofu. Nearby, a stack of giant round metal baskets sits atop billowing jets of steam. He uses both constantly. "In the last few years, organic ingredients, healthy foods, and less grease are very popular," Wai explains. "Steaming works well with this healthful style. It's easy and uses little oil."

Although Westerners rarely venture past plain steamed vegetables, the Chinese steam a wide range of foods. Wai composes complete main dishes on single plates; Chinese home cooks often use heat-resistant glass pie pans or shallow heatproof bowls. When the dishes emerge from their steam bath, they're plump with natural juices. It's an easy technique with the right equipment; see "Steaming Setups" (page 91) for tips.

In a matter of minutes, Wai creates a pretty dish of kabocha squash and scallops, and then fish on tender tofu. Eat these homestyle favorites as the Chinese do, with a bowl of hot rice and stir-fried greens. It's a simple, good-for-you meal.

INFO Chef Wai ($$; 111 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo, CA; 650/342-8388)

Steamed fish on soft tofu with black-bean sauce

Pieces offish coated with pungent black-bean garlic sauce steam atop melt-in-your-mouth tofu pedestals.

PREP AND COOK TIME About 30 minutes

MAKES 4 servings

NOTES Use water-packed soft tofu (sometimes labeled silken) rather than the tofu sold in aseptic packages. Black-bean garlic sauce, made from fermented salted black beans, can be found in many supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, as can Shaoxing rice wine, a cooking wine. Find dark soy sauce, also called black soy sauce, at Asian grocery stores. It's thicker, darker, and sweeter than regular soy sauce.

1 package (18 oz.) water-packed soft tofu (see Notes)
1 tbsp. Chinese black-bean garlic sauce (see Notes)
1 tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine (also called Shaohsing wine) or dry sherry
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. dark soy sauce (see Notes) or 1 1/2 tsp. regular soy sauce mixed
  with 1/2 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 lb. skinned halibut or salmon fillet, about 1/2 in. thick
1 tbsp. peeled fresh ginger slivers
2 green onions, cut in 2-in.-long slivers

1. Drain tofu and gently invert onto a thick layer of towels on a flat surface. Pat dry and let drain about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make marinade: In a medium bowl, combine black-bean garlic sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Set aside.

3. Pour 1 to 3 in. water into bottom of a steamer (see "Steaming Setups," page 91). Place rack at least 1 in. above surface of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

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4. While water is coming to a boil, cut tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into rectangles about 1/2 in. thick. Lay tofu in a single layer in a 9- to 10-in. heat-resistant glass pie pan; save any pieces that don't fit for another use.

5. Rinse fish, pat dry, and cut into pieces about the same size as tofu. Add fish to reserved marinade and mix to coat. Lay fish on tofu and spoon marinade on top. Sprinkle ginger evenly over fish.

6. Set pie pan on rack. Cover and steam until fish in center is barely opaque in thickest part (cut to test), 6 to 8 minutes (fish will continue to cook after you remove it from heat).

7. Turn off heat. Carefully lift pie pan from steamer. If it's difficult to remove, slip a wide spatula under pie pan to lift up, then grasp pie pan with a pot holder (or use two sets of tongs). Sprinkle with green onions.

PER SERVING 240 CAL., 38% (90 CAL.) FROM FAT; 30 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT (1.3 G SAT.); 5.9 G CARBO (0.5 G FIBER); 780 MG SODIUM; 36 MG CHOL.

Steamed kabocha squash with scallops

Bright orange kabocha squash forms a sweet base for tender scallops, spiked with ginger and chile. The dish is also very good as a vegetarian version, without the scallops.

PREP AND COOK TIME 1 hour

MAKES 4 servings

NOTES Wai uses Chinese shrimp paste in this dish; we've substituted more readily available Asian fish sauce. Take care not to overcook the scallops--they'll be rubbery if you do.

12 oz. kabocha squash
1 tbsp. peeled fresh ginger slivers, divided
1 tbsp. fresh red or green Fresno or jalapeno chile slivers, divided
2 tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine (also called Shaohsing wine) or dry sherry
1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
2 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1/2 tsp. sugar
8 oz. sea scallops
1/4 cup cilantro leaves