Simmered Japanese Sea Bass in Soy Sauce / Steamed Seabass in Soy Sauce / Steamed Sea Bass with Soy Sauce

AI Gourmet Analysis

Overview

Seabass Simmered in Soy Sauce (Eng: Steamed Seabass in Soy Sauce, Thai: ปลากะพงนึ่งซีอิ๊ว) is a fish dish in which a white-fleshed fish (mainly seabass; in Thailand it is often collectively referred to as “pla kapong,” a category that can include barramundi and related fish) is steamed and finished with a soy-sauce-based seasoning liquid. Against a culinary backdrop akin to the Chinese-speaking world’s “qingzheng yu” (clear-steamed fish) or steamed fish flavored with “chi yau” (soy sauce), it is widely served in Thai Chinese cuisine (so-called Thai-Chinese) and in seafood restaurants throughout Thailand.

This article describes the dish as served at “Savoey (Savoey) Terminal 21” in Bangkok, Thailand (tasted as shown in the photo), together with its general characteristics as a dish.

Name and positioning

The Thai name “ปลากะพงนึ่งซีอิ๊ว” is generally composed of the elements “pla (ปลา = fish),” “kapong (กะพง = seabass),” “nueng (นึ่ง = to steam),” and “si-iu (ซีอิ๊ว = soy sauce),” and literally means “steamed seabass with soy sauce.” English menus typically use steamed, while in Japanese it may be presented as “simmered in soy sauce”; in practice, however, it is often prepared by pairing steamed fish with a hot soy-based sauce (a braising-liquid-like sauce). Because it is served with a noticeable amount of liquid, it can give an impression closer to “simmered.”

In East and Southeast Asian fish cookery, techniques have developed that place “steaming” at the center—preserving the texture of the ingredient while adding flavor with aromatics and seasoned liquids. This dish belongs to that lineage, using ginger, scallions, and the umami of soy sauce to complement the mildness of white fish.

Main ingredients

Typical ingredients center on fish (seabass), ginger, scallions (e.g., green onion), and soy sauce, with sugar, pepper, alcohol (cooking wine), sesame oil, and stock (or steaming juices) added depending on the restaurant or region. At Thai seafood restaurants, the fish is often handled as a whole fish and served topped with aromatics after cooking.

Cooking method and serving style

The basic process consists of preparing the fish, then steaming it together with aromatics (or applying heat in a manner close to steaming). A soy-sauce-based sauce is then paired with the cooked fish; this may be added during cooking or, as a finishing step, a heated sauce may be poured over. In either case, the aim is to avoid overcooking and toughening the flesh while using hot liquid to release aroma.

In the serving example shown in the photo, a dedicated metal platter shaped to fit the fish is used, with a heat source (a warming flame) placed beneath the dish. This is intended to keep the dish warm even while being eaten, reducing temperature drop at the table and helping maintain the aroma and savory lift of the sauce.

Steamed fish is also a dish in which bones tend to remain. When served whole, sections that include small bones are intermingled, and scale removal can vary depending on the restaurant’s practice and the individual fish; when eating, it is recommended to flake the flesh while avoiding bones.

Seasoning characteristics

Soy-centered sauces are often designed around saltiness and umami, with sweetness and aromatic oils adding body. Because steamed white fish has a gentle flavor profile, the direction of the sauce can easily determine the overall impression of the dish. Ginger’s pungent compounds and aroma also help suppress fishy off-notes—often a concern in fish dishes—and contribute to a lighter finish.

When served with the sauce sufficiently hot, the volatile aromas of scallion and ginger rise, and the sweetness of the white flesh and the richness of soy sauce tend to integrate. For this reason, it is generally considered highly compatible with staple foods such as rice.

Background in Thailand (relationship to Chinese-style seafood cuisine)

In Thai urban areas including Bangkok, the food culture of Chinese communities has long formed a foundational layer of dining out and seafood cookery. Steamed fish paired with soy sauce aligns with the widely seen Chinese pattern of “steamed fish + soy sauce dressing,” and it occupies a standard position in Thai seafood restaurants as well. In Thai notation, “ซีอิ๊ว (soy sauce)” is used; depending on the restaurant, flavors may be adjusted through the selection of soy sauces roughly corresponding to light and dark styles, and by adding sweetness.

Accordingly, rather than being grouped simply as “Thai food,” it may in some cases be more accurate to understand this dish as one variant of Chinese-influenced seafood cuisine rooted in Thailand.

General points on hygiene and nutrition

Compared with fried dishes, steamed fish generally tends to use less added fat, while its soy-based seasoning can result in higher salt content. In addition, in serving styles that keep the dish warm at the table, the hot liquid may remain heated for an extended time, so care is required to avoid burns when portioning.

Restaurant information

• Location: Kingdom of Thailand (th), Bangkok — Savoey Terminal 21
• Dish name on menu: Seabass Simmered in Soy Sauce / Steamed Seabass in Soy Sauce / ปลากะพงนึ่งซีอิ๊ว

Similar dishes / related items

• Steamed fish (清蒸魚) — An umbrella concept for fish dishes that steam the ingredient and balance it with aromatics and seasoned liquids.
• Barramundi (Asian seabass) — One representative seabass commonly distributed in Southeast Asia (it may be treated as “pla kapong” at restaurants).
• Thai seafood cuisine — A cuisine in which steaming and stir-frying techniques of Chinese origin coexist alongside sourness, heat, and herbs.