Steamed Whole Fish

Peel the ginger; thinly slice half of it and cut the rest into fine threads. Cut 2 of the spring onions into 5 cm lengths and the other 2 into fine threads. Score each sea bass, about 600 g each, two or three times on each side and stuff the cavities with the sliced ginger and spring onion lengths.

Put the fish on heatproof plates that fit your steamer (a two-tier steamer takes one each; swap the tiers halfway), sprinkle with the Shaoxing wine, and steam over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes. It is done when the flesh at the thickest part flakes from the bone.

Pour off the liquid that collects on the plates — it is fishy and cloudy — and discard the ginger and spring onion from the cavities. Lift the fish onto a warm serving platter.

Warm the soy sauce with the sugar and the water in a small pan until the sugar dissolves.

Scatter the ginger and spring onion threads and the coriander leaves over the fish.

Heat the oil until it is just smoking, then pour it over the herbs so they sizzle.

Pour the warm soy around the fish and serve at once.