Ca Mu Hap Xi Dau (Hong Kong Style Steamed Grouper), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Clean the grouper, scale it, remove the gills and innards, score the body a few times, then rinse off the slime and drain it.
2. Chop 500g of pork bones, wash them several times, rinse them again in lightly salted water, blanch them in boiling water, and wash them clean.
3. Put 800ml of water, the pork bones, half an onion, a little spring onion, and chili in a pot, bring it to a boil, and simmer about 1 hour. Lift out the spring onion and chili.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot and fry the ginger strips until fragrant. Pour in the bone stock, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of white rice wine, and boil 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Pour the sauce into a serving pan and set the grouper on top. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until it smokes, pour it over the fish, arrange spring onion, onion, and cilantro around it, and steam until the fish is nearly done.
6. Bring the pan to a tabletop burner, bring it to a boil, then keep it barely simmering while you eat, with rice vermicelli alongside and a little extra soy sauce for dipping.

Tips

• Pick a live grouper with bright red gills, unbroken skin, and flesh that springs back under a finger.
• Fry the shredded ginger until the edges turn golden before the stock goes in, since raw ginger leaves the sauce harsh.
• Blanching and washing the pork bones well is what keeps the stock clear rather than heavy.
• Scoring the body a few times helps the fish cook evenly and take on the sauce.
• The oil has to be smoking hot when it goes over the fish, since cool oil will not lift the ginger and spring onion.
• Keep the flame barely simmering while you eat so the fish and sauce stay evenly hot.