What to use instead of firm white fish
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Fillet that holds together in a stew or curry
Firm low-fat flesh with thick flakes stays in pieces in a simmering pot where a soft fillet shreds, and it takes on the sauce without giving up much oil into it.
Halibut, grouper, snapper or monkfishRan out
1:1 by weight, cut in 4 cm chunks
Straight trades. Monkfish is springier and wants 3 to 4 minutes longer; the rest behave the same.
Cod or haddockRan out
1:1 by weight, added for the last 6 to 8 min
Bigger softer flakes that break up if the pot gets stirred. Lay them on top and spoon sauce over instead.
ShrimpRan out
1:1 by weight, added for the last 3 min
Sweeter and springier, and the stew loses the flakes that make it read as a fish stew. Moqueca takes it well.
Firm tofuPlant-based
1:1 by weight, pressed 20 min and cubed
Holds its shape better than fish and drinks up the sauce. It brings no sweetness of its own, so lean harder on lime, salt and chile.
What doesn't work: Tilapia or sole in a long-simmered stew. Both are thin and soft-flaked and they fall into threads within five minutes, thickening the broth with shredded fish rather than sitting in it.
Whole fish or fillet steamed or baked gently
Mild flesh takes on ginger, scallion and soy without fighting them, and firm flakes lift cleanly off the bone instead of collapsing onto the plate.
Whole sea bass, branzino or snapperRan out
1:1 by weight, steamed 8 min per 500 g
Cooks on the same timing at the same size. Branzino has more small pin bones and slightly sweeter flesh.
Cod loinRan out
1:1 by weight, steamed 10 min per 500 g
The flakes fall apart as you lift them, so steam it on the plate you plan to serve it on and dress it there.
Whole troutRan out
1:1 by weight
Softer and oilier, so it takes about 2 minutes less and the soy dressing reads stronger against it.
What doesn't work: Salmon in a Cantonese steamed-fish setup. It is oily and strong enough to fight the scallion and soy, and the fat that renders out pools on the plate and makes the dressing greasy.
Raw fish firmed by acid in ceviche
Citrus acid tightens the surface protein and turns the flesh opaque and firm. Soft-flaked fish has no bite to lose and goes to paste instead.
Sea bass, corvina or halibutRan out
1:1 by weight, diced 1 cm, 15 to 20 min in the juice
All behave the same. Bigger dice need longer and stay raw in the middle, which some people want.
Scallops, sliced acrossRan out
1:1 by weight, 10 min in the juice
Sweeter and softer, and they cure faster, so pull them early or they go chalky.
Shrimp, blanched 60 seconds and chilledRan out
1:1 by weight, 20 min in the juice
Much firmer and safer for anyone wary of raw seafood. The lime seasons rather than cures at that point.
What doesn't work: Fish that has been sitting in the case for days. Ceviche is barely cooked, so age shows immediately as soft flesh and an ammonia edge under the lime. Fish frozen at sea beats a tired fresh fillet here.