To Cook:

1. Pick a perch with a greenish-blue body, bright scales, scarlet gills and no shedding of scales. Its eyes should be clear and with no scars. If you press the body lightly with your fingers, it should spring back, which indicates that the fish is fresh.

2. Shred the ginger and scallions.

3. Score the fish in several places. Drizzle with half a ladle of black bean sauce, a handful of the shredded scallions and ginger, salt and pepper, and marinate for five minutes.

4. Place the fish on a bed of pickled ginger and scallions. Sprinkle some more ginger and scallions on top and add half a ladle of lard oil.

5. Steam over a pot of boiling water for eight minutes.

6. Without removing the lid, cook for a further five minutes.

7. Warm some oil in a pan and when hot pour over the fish.

8. Add the remaining shredded ginger and some sweet red pepper to the fish and serve.