Cantonese or Teochew Steam Fish? What is the Difference?

You know, when we visit a Chinese restaurant and order steam fish, the staff will often ask "Cantonese or Teochew steam?" 广蒸还是潮州蒸? 🤔

Truth be told, before my food blogging days, I was always stumped. Hey, I don't pay attention to such details - I got lots of other things demanding my time and attention 😅

It's only after retirement, and taking up food and travel blogging, that I begin to delve into such unimportant things 🤭

But, it's never too late to learn and everything has its time 😁

It's time to learn what is the difference between Cantonese and Teochew style of steam fish 😁

Cantonese Style Steam Fish 

Fish slit and stuffed with ginger slices is steamed cooked. Excess water is drained away.

The fish cooked to 90% doneness is set in a pool of aromatic sauce of stock (of parsley or cilantro stem, ginger, etc boiled in water), soy sauce, and sugar.

The chef takes care to pour the aromatic savoury sweet sauce into the dish from the side so as to avoid splashing the fish directly with it. This prevents the sauce from overwhelming the delicate nuances of the fish's natural sweetness.

The fish in the pool of aromatic savoury sweet sauce is dressed with fresh raw ginger, garlic, parsley or cilantro leaves, julienned scallion, julienned chili pepper. 

The dish is finished by dribbling hot oil over the fish and dressing before serving. The hot oil brings the fish to fully cooked and perfect doneness.

Teochew Style Steam Fish 

The raw fish is dressed with ginger, tomatoes, chili pepper, salted (preserved) vegetable 咸菜 or kiam chye, black mushroom, tofu, fried garlic, salted (preserved) sour plum 咸水梅, pork fat, etc.

Add soy sauce, fish sauce, Chinese cooking (rice) wine 花雕酒, white pepper, sesame seed oil, lard oil, mushroom water (made by soaking black mushrooms in water), to the raw fish and dressing.

Steam cook the fish and all the toppings fully, then dress with fresh scallion, parsley or cilantro before serving.

Water from steaming the fish and vegetables, etc, all mix together as a blended sauce pooling in the dish. The Teochew style is almost an one-dish-meal with protein and full range of vegetables.

Needless to say, every chef have their own little secrets, twists and tweaks on how to cook the same dish. This is just the general outline.

Teochew steamed fish tastes naturally sweet complemented by savoury salty sweet and tangy flavours from the accompanying ingredients. Cantonese steam fish is also naturally sweet, balanced with the savoury aromatic sauce and oil (sans the salty tangy taste in Teochew steam fish).

Which is your preferred style of Chinese steam fish? How would you reply when the waiter asks "Cantonese or Teochew steam?" 广蒸还是潮州蒸?

Written by Tony Boey on 16 May 2026

Who is Tony Johor Kaki?