Steamed Northern Vietnamese Fish with Dill and Turmeric

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-28 · Updated 2026-04-28

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A fragrant steamed fish dish from Northern Vietnam featuring turmeric and fresh dill, highlighting the subtle and clean flavors of the region. This Vietnamese-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs fresh dill, chopped, turmeric powder, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Vietnamese cuisine 220 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1.5 lbs whole white fish (tilapia or sea bass), cleaned and scaled
1 cup fresh dill, chopped
1 tbsp turmeric powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 lime wedges
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup water

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Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and pat dry the 1.5 lbs whole white fish; make 3 diagonal cuts on each side to allow flavors to penetrate.
Step 2: Rub the fish inside and out with 1 tbsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp fish sauce; let marinate for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a small pan over medium heat, sauté 4 minced garlic cloves and 3 thinly sliced shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Place the fish on a steaming plate, top with the sautéed garlic and shallots, and scatter 1 cup chopped fresh dill evenly over the fish.
Step 5: Set up a steamer with 1 cup boiling water and steam the fish for 12-15 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
Step 6: Carefully remove the fish from the steamer, drizzle with 1 tbsp fish sauce, and serve with 4 lime wedges on the side for squeezing.