Poached Fish with Soy Glaze

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10-minute, insanely EASY poached fish recipe! Enjoy restaurant-quality fish at home, perfectly tender and finished with an Asian soy glaze. Simple yet delicious!

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: asian, Chinese

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 530kcal

Author: Lei

Ingredients

400 g fish fillets
5 tablespoon Oil
1 spring onion some chopped into 5cm lengths for the soy glaze and the rest finely chopped to sprinkle on top of the fish
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 slices ginger
3 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

Making the Soy Glaze

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water, then mix well.
In a small saucepan, add one tablespoon of oil, spring onion, ginger, and garlic over medium heat, and cook until all ingredients turn lightly brown. Add the sauce mixture. Turn the heat to low to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Drain the soy glaze and set it aside.

Poaching the Fish

In a medium saucepan, add water to fill the pan (the water should be about 5-10 cm above the fish). Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Turn the heat down to low to medium, add the fish fillets to the boiling water, and cook for one minute. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the fish poach for 5-7 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

Assembling Everything Together

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and sesame seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sesame seeds turn light brown. Place the finely chopped spring onions on top of the fish, then pour the hot oil over it.
Add the soy glaze to the fish.

Notes

Fish: The most important thing is that the fish needs to be as fresh as possible. Look for a shiny appearance on the fish’s skin or meat. You can use any type of fish for this recipe, whether whole or filleted. Adjust the poaching time based on the fish’s thickness. A medium-sized fish (around 20 cm long) takes about 8 minutes, while a 3 cm thick fillet needs around 6 minutes. To check if it’s cooked, insert a fork or chopstick—if it slides through easily, the fish is done.
Oil: This recipe uses a generous amount of oil. If you’re concerned, opt for a healthier choice, like olive oil.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is a key ingredient in this recipe; using a high-quality one makes a big difference. I usually prefer Lee Kum Kee soy sauce, which is easily available in supermarkets or online.
Sugar: I add a small amount of sugar to balance the soy sauce, but you can use honey, a sweet substitute, or skip it altogether.
Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds not only add a nutty flavour to the dish, but I also use them as an oil temperature indicator. When they turn light brown, the oil is usually at the right temperature.
Timer: Since timing is crucial in this recipe, I found that using a timer is very helpful in achieving the best results.
Minimal handling: Don’t move the fish too much, or it’ll break apart. Use a large spoon to lift them out of water, especially with delicate fish like cod—it can fall apart easily once cooked.
Safety: Sprinkling hot oil over the fish adds great flavour but keeps kids away while handling it. Always be cautious when working with hot oil.

Nutrition