Instructions

1. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, make three or four diagonal cuts on each side of the fish to help it cook evenly and absorb the flavours.
2. Place slices of ginger and white parts of spring onion on a heatproof plate that will fit inside your wok or steamer. Place the fish on top.
3. Put some the sliced spring onions and ginger inside the cavity of the fish too, then scatter the remaining over the top.
4. Place a steaming rack (or a small inverted bowl) in the centre of a wok or deep pan. Add enough water to come just below the rack, ensuring it doesn’t touch the plate. Bring the water to a full boil.
5. Carefully place the plate with the fish onto the rack. Cover tightly with a lid and steam over high heat for 8–10 minutes, depending on thickness. The fish is ready when the flesh flakes easily and is opaque all the way through.
6. Carefully remove the plate from the wok and pour away any cloudy liquid that has collected.
7. Heat the oil in a small pan until hot. Add the sliced chilli and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry for just a few seconds until fragrant. Immediately pour the hot oil and aromatics over the steamed fish.
8. In the same pan, add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, honey (or sugar), sesame oil and ground pepper. Bring to a gentle bubble, then pour this sauce evenly over the fish.
9. Serve immediately while hot, ideally with steamed rice and stir-fried greens.