------------------------------BLACK BEAN SAUCE------------------------------ 3 tb Salted fermented black beans 3 Garlic cloves; chopped 1 ts Minced peeled ginger 2 tb Soy sauce 2 tb Dry vermouth 1/2 ts Sugar 6 Green onions 6 sl Fresh peeled ginger -(quarter-sized), shredded 6 Salmon steaks (1" thick) - blotted dry 2 ts Salt 4 tb Peanut or corn oil White pepper to taste Handful of fresh coriander -(leaves) SOAK BLACK BEANS in lukewarm water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water; drain. Combine black beans with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, dry vermouth and sugar; gently mash together. Cut 3 green onions into 2-inch-long sections and cut 3 into 2-inch-long slivers. Put green onion sections and half the shredded ginger on bottom of a shallow heatproof plate (like a glass Pyrex pie plate). Sprinkle salmon with salt. Place salmon steaks in a single layer on top of green onions. You may need to use 2 plates with a 2-tier steamer unit. Scatter remaining shredded ginger. Top each steak with 1/2 tablespoon of the black-bean mixture and half the green onion slivers equally over the steaks. Fill a wok or steamer with enough boiling water to come within 1 inch of the bottom of bamboo steamer. When the water comes to a boil, put the fish with its plate into the bamboo steamer. Cover. Steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. When done, remove cover away from your face and carefully lift out the plate. In a small pan heat the peanut or corn oil until hot and almost smoking. Sprinkle salmon with white pepper and scatter the remaining fresh green onion slivers on top. Carefully pour the hot oil over the fish steaks. It should sizzle. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.
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