Until recently, eel was one of those dishes we'd order in Chinese restaurants but rarely made at home. You know the rigmarole ... going to a live fish market, picking your fish, bringing the poor bugger home, trying to kill it as humanely as possible (me being as squeamish as they come doesn't help here) and then cooking it in a way which will honour both the fish and the effort involved. Guess what? Mum decided she would take it upon herself to do all of this because nobody else in this house would. I won't put you off this particular dish by describing her antics with the eel but she managed to pull it off beautifully. I'm not going to ask you to obtain a live eel and then kill it yourself. No. Fishmongers can do that for you. Why my mum decided to do this herself escapes me entirely.  Anyhow, this dish is so delicious that my husband and I requested she make it a second time, consecutively. It is that good and has become a keeper. If eel isn't available you could use other fish, it's up to you ... but eel is particularly nice here.

Steamed Eel in Black Bean Sauce (feeds at least 4 people)

Ingredients:

• Fresh eel: 500 grams, sliced into 1 cm rounds
  
• Fresh chilli: 1 chopped finely. Use more or less to taste
  
• Fresh ginger: 1 knob, sliced finely or microplaned
  
• Fresh garlic: 3 cloves, chopped finely
  
• Salted black beans: 2 tablespoons, chopped finely. You can find this in any Asian grocer
  
• Dry mandarin peel: A piece or a few pieces measuring about 6 x 6 cms in total, re-hydrated in 1/2 cup of hot water for 1/2 hour and then chopped finely. You can also find this in any Asian grocer
  
• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
  
• Shaoxing rice wine: 1 tablespoon
  
• Corn flour: 2 teaspoons
  
• Sesame oil: 2 teaspoons
  
• Salt and white pepper to taste
  
• Green onions or scallions: 1 head, sliced to 2 cm lengths

Equipment needed:

• A steamer or wok with a lid. To steam using a wok, place a couple of chopsticks across the bottom of the steamer, fill with water up to the chopsticks, cover with lid,  bring to a boil and then place platter on top of chopsticks and cover.
  
• A shallow platter which will fit inside the steamer or wok

Preparation:

Place eel in a medium sized bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well with fingers or chopsticks. Transfer contents to a large shallow platter (the largest size your steamer or wok will accommodate) and steam in medium heat for about 10 minutes. You may need a shorter or longer steaming time depending on your stove, the size of the eel pieces and the size of your platter. You can tell it's done when the eel's flesh is opaque all the way through to the spine. By the way, you can eat the tiny little bones in the eel as they are quite soft. Serve with white rice. Yum.