Cantonese Steamed Fish in Jeddah: Najel, Sea Bass and Salmon

Cantonese steamed fish is one of the simplest dishes in Chinese cooking, and one of the most exposing. Fresh fish is steamed over high heat, topped with ginger and spring onion and finished with soy sauce. If the fish is not fresh or the timing is off by a minute, the plate shows it.

At Toki, a Chinese restaurant in Al Khalidiyah, Jeddah, selected in the MICHELIN Guide Saudi Arabia, the From the sea section has two Cantonese fish dishes: a steamed najel, the Red Sea fish Jeddah knows well, and a whole sea bass. This guide explains the method and covers every fish dish on the current menu, including two made with salmon.

What is Cantonese steamed fish?

Cantonese steamed fish is fish steamed briefly over high heat, then dressed with fine shreds of ginger and spring onion and a seasoned soy sauce. In the classic method, hot oil is poured over the aromatics at the end, so they sizzle and release their fragrance.

The point is restraint. Steaming is gentle, so the flesh stays moist and the fish tastes of itself. Ginger softens any strong fish flavour, spring onion adds freshness, and the soy seasons without covering anything up. Cantonese cooks traditionally steam the fish whole and choose mild white fish for it. For the wider picture, read Cantonese cuisine explained.

On Toki’s menu both Cantonese fish dishes are finished with superior soy, a premium grade of soy sauce.

What is najel fish?

Najel is a Red Sea fish from the grouper family, and one of the most popular fish in Jeddah. Its firm white flesh suits gentle cooking such as steaming.

In Arabic it is usually written نجل, and Toki’s Arabic menu spells it ناجل. Because it is local, najel is a natural choice for a Jeddah kitchen cooking fish the Cantonese way.

What is Toki’s Cantonese Steamed Najel?

Toki’s Cantonese Steamed Najel is najel fillet steamed Cantonese style with ginger and superior soy. It comes as fillet pieces rather than a whole fish, so it is easy to share and easy to eat.

Toki’s Instagram shows the pieces laid in a pool of soy on a dark red oval plate, under shreds of spring onion and red chili with a few green herbs. Chilli is on its allergen list, so it is not completely mild, but it is a light main and a good counterweight to fried or richer dishes on the same table.

What is Cantonese Style Seabass?

Toki’s Cantonese Style Seabass is a whole sea bass with ginger, spring onion, leek and superior soy, the same aromatics as the classic Cantonese steamed fish. It comes to the table whole, which makes it a centrepiece for a group.

A whole fish carries meaning on a Chinese table. The Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for surplus, so a whole fish at a celebration is a wish for abundance, which is why it appears among the dishes of Chinese New Year. Chilli is on the sea bass allergen list too.

Najel or sea bass: which should you order?

Order the najel for two or three people, or when you want a fish dish that needs no work at the table. Order the whole sea bass for a larger group, or when you want the fish to be the centre of the meal.

• Najel: a local Red Sea fish, served as fillet.
• Sea bass: a whole fish, with leek joining the ginger and spring onion. Lifting the flesh off the bone is part of the meal.
• Both: Cantonese style with superior soy, and both list chilli and fish among their allergens.

What salmon dishes does Toki serve?

Toki has two salmon dishes: Sesame Glazed Salmon, a main in the From the sea section, and Yusheng Salmon, a starter. The first is glazed and gently sweet, and the second is a spicy take on yusheng, the fish salad tossed at Chinese New Year.

Sesame Glazed Salmon brings together salmon, honey, oyster sauce, asparagus, leeks and sesame. Honey and oyster sauce give a balance of sweet and savoury, and chilli is not on its allergen list, so it suits milder palates. Toki’s Instagram shows the fillet glazed dark and topped with fine golden crisps, beside asparagus and leek.

Yusheng Salmon pairs salmon with papaya, sesame seeds and Szechuan flavours. Yusheng is a raw fish salad tossed at Chinese New Year in Singapore and Malaysia, where everyone at the table lifts the ingredients high with chopsticks as a wish for a good year. Toki’s version carries chili heat and, like the original, is made for sharing.

How should you order fish at Toki?

Treat a fish dish as one part of a shared table. For two, one fish main is enough next to dim sum, a starter and rice, and for four or more the whole sea bass can anchor the meal.

Steamed fish is light, so pair it with something richer, such as Baked Scallops or Crispy Szechuan Angus Beef. Add Vegetable Fried Rice or Cantonese Spinach to go with the soy.

For the rest of the seafood menu, read the guide to Chinese seafood in Jeddah, and for prawns, the guide to Chinese shrimp and prawn dishes. For a walk through the whole menu, read what to order at Toki.

Where can you eat Cantonese steamed fish in Jeddah?

At Toki, on King Abdulaziz Road in Al Khalidiyah, Jeddah. Opening hours and directions are on the visit page.

You can book your table online or call reservations on 050 466 5658. See current prices for every dish on the menu.

Quick answers

Is najel a type of grouper?

Yes. Najel is a Red Sea fish from the grouper family, and one of the most popular fish in Jeddah.

Is the najel at Toki served whole?

No. The Cantonese Steamed Najel comes as fillet. The Cantonese Style Seabass is the dish served as a whole fish.

Is Cantonese steamed fish spicy?

The classic version is mild. At Toki, both the najel and the sea bass list chilli among their allergens, so ask your server if you avoid chilli completely.

Is Toki halal?

Yes. Toki runs a halal kitchen.