Lapu Lapu (Steamed Whole Strawberry Grouper)

Lapu Lapu (Steamed Whole Strawberry Grouper)

Lapu Lapu (Steamed Whole Strawberry Grouper)

Lapu Lapu is a Filipino-style steamed whole grouper with a lemon ginger sauce poured over. This dish is extremely simple to prepare and even better to eat. I recently found whole frozen strawberry grouper at my local Asian market; all for around $10-$12 each. They do come uncleaned an unscaled, so that is something you will have to do at home. The grouper gets salted, then stuffed with lemon slices and ginger. Then you wrap it in foil and steam for about 25 minutes. While the fish is steaming, dissolve sugar into lemon juice in a small pot. Add in water, ginger, and lemon zest. Reduce for 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Pour the sauce over the whole fish and garnish with cilantro. I served my fish with some asparagus that I threw in the steamer the last couple of minutes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: Filipino, fish, main course, Southeast Asian
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • bamboo steamer
  • foil

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb strawberry grouper cleaned, scaled, and salted
  • 3 slices lemon
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp ginger julienned
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest

Garnish

  • cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Stuff the fish cavity with lemon slices and 2 tbsp of julienned ginger.
    Filipino, main course, fish
  • Wrap the fish in foil.
    Filipino, main course, fish
  • Place the fish in a bamboo steamer.
    Filipino, main course, fish
  • Steam for 25 minutes.
    Filipino, main course, fish
  • While the fish is steaming, dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice in a small pot over medium heat.
    Filipino, main course, fish
  • Pour in the water, lemon zest, and 1 tbsp of julienned ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce for 5 minutes.
    Filipino, main course, fish
Filipino, main course, fish
Pour the sauce over the entire fish. Garnish with chopped cilantro. I served my grouper with steamed asparagus and steamed rice.