Meaty foods are some of the best foods that Cook well in the wok. There are various methods you can cook fish in a wok. The versatility of the wok makes you prepare different fish recipes. You can have it smoked, fried, or even braised.
We’ll show you how to cook fish in any style that might interest you. All you need is a good wok, fish, and all your ingredients. Below are the different ways you can use any wok for a great tasting fish experience.
How to Cook Fish in A Wok: Frying, Steaming, Smoking
1. Frying the fish
Most frying gets done well with a wok, and you can choose to stir fry or deep fry the fish.
Stir-frying a fish fillet takes less prep time and cooking. Marinate the fish with your favorite seasoning for additional taste. Cut the fish into biteable chunks and let it stay on the marinade for about ten minutes. Seasoning adds flavor and tenderizes the fish. Once coated, add corn starch and give it a final tossing for an even coating. Set it aside and make a sauce for the fish.
1. Preheat the wok on medium heat
Add two tablespoons of your preferred vegetable oil. When the oil is ready to cook, take the marinated fish, and add it to the wok. Sear the fish until it starts to turn golden brown and then remove it and set it aside. Repeat the same with all the remaining chunks depending on the number of guests.
2. Add ingredients
When done with all the fish, clean the wok if need be and dry it before using it the second time. Put oil, preferably two tablespoons, into the wok. Add red onions and all your aromatics to the oil, including ginger, garlic, and the like.
You can add vegetables to make the food colorful and then cook until they have a golden-brown color. Depending on the wok’s conductivity, use either medium or high heat settings for this step.
3. Add sauce
If you have a sauce prepared, add it to the mixture on the wok and stir. Add corn starch and keep stirring until it is creamy thick. Add a little water to it.
premium-quality fish sauce for cooking
Take your already fried fish and add it to the mixture on the wok. Please give it a good stir with a non-metallic spoon or spatula and stop when everything looks mixed. Cook for an additional twenty minutes or until the corn starch flavor fades away and then serve.
2. Steaming fish on a wok
Steaming is another way on how you can prepare fish on a wok. It is among the traditional Chinese dishes to prepare in your home. With ready fish fillets, this method shouldn’t take much of your cooking time. Even with a whole fish, steaming in a wok is so much fun, but it is easier done with fish fillets.
1. Boil water
Fill the wok with water and place a metal rack on top of it. The water should cover at least one or two inches of the wok. In other words, do not overfill the wok. Boil on high heat if you want it to be quick.
2. Allow it to steam for up to 10 minutes
Reduce the heat to medium and then place a heat-proof plate on top of the metal rack. Alternatively, you can use a steamer basket. Place the fillet on the steamer basket and then cover it with a lid. You can use the wok’s lid or something that can cover it well and let more water evaporates.
Allow the fish to steam for 4-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Use a butter knife that’s not sharp to check if it’s ready. You know it’s ready when you pierce the thickest part of the fillet, and it easily falls through without any resistance.
3. Drain water
Remove the lid, drain out any excess water, and set the fish on a plate. Empty the wok and dry it before putting it back on the heat. Heat the wok and add two tablespoons of cooking oil and add the aromatics. You need to fry for a few seconds before adding your other ingredients. Continue cooking for a few seconds until your sauce is ready. When it gets done, add it to the steamed fish and serve.
3. Smoking fish on a wok
To correctly smoke fish on a wok, you will need aluminum foil paper and a few ingredients. Smoking can be a pre-cooking step for cooking your fish. A smoked fish can be prepared in other methods, as well. You can choose to have it with stew or have it your own way. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do with smoked fish.
1. Line the wok’s base with the foil paper
Add your favorite smoking ingredients. This can be tea leaves, rice, sugar, and spices.
2. Turn on the heat
Turn on the heat to get the wok smoking hot with smoke coming out. Place a rack on top of the wok right at the center and place the fish. With this method, cooking a whole fish is possible.
3. Cover the entire wok with extra foil
Covering the wok ensures no smoke escapes from inside. For better results, allow cooking on medium heat for better cooking results. Do not let the fish over-smoke, and it should get done in 10 minutes. When it’s ready, turn off the hot and let the fish stay still for additional more minutes before serving. It ensures the smoke completely fades away.
Conclusion
You use it to prepare various methods of fish. You can choose to have the whole fish cooked on a wok. Or you can use it to prepare just fillets. With a wok, the fish can get smoked, steamed, stir-fried, or even deep-fried. You can have the fish cooked on a wok and then finish the cooking with other cookware. All things considered, a wok will do most of the cooking for you no matter the type of food you want to try out.