Back at Lisa’s house, her husband John helps us quickly shred the scallions as Lisa cuts the peeled ginger into large slices. The classic preparation for the fish is to steam it whole -- “to represent completeness,” Lisa explains. It is essential that the fish is served with head and tail attached to make sure that the coming year has both a good beginning and ending.

Lisa Li slices whole fish. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend — Lisa Li slices whole fish (Wendy Goodfriend)

John cuts up scallions for the whole fish. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend — John cuts up scallions for the whole fish (Wendy Goodfriend)

Lisa Li cleans cilantro for whole fish. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend — Lisa Li cleans cilantro for whole fish

She fills a large pan with water and steamer tray, places the whole fish on a plate atop a pair of chop sticks (“so that the fishy water will run off”), slits the back, so the thicker areas will cook and stuffs the fish with several coins of ginger. The fish will steam for 8 minutes over a high flame. Meanwhile, in another pan she pours some peanut oil and briefly sautés matchstick pieces of ginger and more scallions. When the fish are done, they are ringed with cilantro and topped with the gently sautéed ginger and scallions. Then she pours a generous amount of a special soy sauce for fish. “How much soy sauce are you pouring,” I ask? “Enough to puddle around the bottom of the dish,” she answers.

Whole cooked fish. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend — Whole cooked fish (Wendy Goodfriend)

Lisa Li cooks scallions for whole fish. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend — Lisa Li cooks scallions for whole fish (Wendy Goodfriend)

Kim Lan Steam Fish Soy Sauce (Wendy Goodfriend)

Lisa Li in front of round table with Chinese New Year foods (Wendy Goodfriend)

We move to a round dining table edged with a carved dragon and phoenix motif. As Lisa serves us the tender fish, she explains that at New Years Eve dinner, the head of the fish is always pointed towards the oldest or most honored guest. She scoops up more flesh from the bony skeleton, to refill our plates. John, presents her with the cheek, a prized morsel, and tells me the Chinese cultural belief that you never flip the fish over to get to the other side, because if you do, somewhere, a fisherman’s boat will capsize. With two spoons, he deftly extracts the meat from the underside of the fish. Lisa also likes to eat the fish eyes, which she admits have a “different texture.” She remembers her mom telling her that eating the eyes would improve her sight. “Maybe it’s just that in Chinese culture, nothing should be wasted,” she says. “People who don’t eat the head and tail can boil them with the bones and make a nice broth.” We all agree that the wild caught gopher has a more delicate taste, but the texture of the bass is creamier.

Another important aspect of Chinese New Year tradition is not to finish the fish course on New Year's Eve, but leave some to be eaten the next day so that the abundance of the yu will continue into the New Year.

Piece of cooked whole fish (Wendy Goodfriend)

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Buy a Live Fish in Oakland Chinatown for a Traditional Chinese New Year's Feast