Community recipe
Banana-Leaf Steamed Fish with Coconut Rice (Malaysian-Inspired)
A fragrant, weeknight-friendly meal that uses gentle banana-leaf steaming to keep white fish moist while ginger, lemongrass, lime, and turmeric build bright Southeast Asian flavor. Creamy coconut rice, crisp cucumber, and tender green beans make it a complete, balanced plate.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Get ready
Ingredients
- 30 g ginger, finely grated
- 15 g garlics, finely grated
- 2 lemongrass stalks, tender inner parts, finely minced
- 60 ml lime juice
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 600 g white fish fillets, cut into 4 portions
- 300 g jasmine rice, rinsed
- 400 ml coconut milks, well shaken
- 450 ml waters
- 4 banana leaves, rinsed
- 300 g green beans, trimmed
- 200 g cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 15 g cilantro, roughly chopped
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Marinate the fish
In a shallow dish, combine 30 g ginger, 15 g garlic, 2 each lemongrass stalks, 60 ml lime juice, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp fine salt. Add 600 g white fish fillets, turn to coat, and refrigerate while preparing the rice and steamer.
- 02
Cook the coconut rice
Rinse 300 g jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear. Place it in a saucepan with 400 ml coconut milk and 450 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until tender. Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing.
- 03
Prepare the steamer
Rinse 4 each banana leaves and briefly pass each over a low gas flame or dip it in hot water until pliable; do not scorch them. Line a steamer basket with the softened leaves, leaving enough overlap to make four individual parcels. Bring several centimeters of water to a steady simmer in the steamer base.
- 04
Steam the parcels
Divide the marinated portions among the prepared leaves, folding each parcel securely so the juices stay inside. Arrange the parcels in the basket with space between them. Steam, covered, until the thickest portion is opaque and flakes easily, or reaches 63°C internally. During the final 6 minutes, add 300 g green beans to the steamer in a heatproof dish or a separate tier.
- 05
Finish and serve
Arrange the opened parcels beside the fluffed rice and steamed beans. Add 200 g cucumber and 15 g cilantro as a cool, fresh garnish. Serve immediately, spooning any cooked parcel juices over the rice.
