Mary Berry Oriental Fish Parcels Recipe

This fresh, aromatic Mary Berry Oriental fish parcels recipe is made with tender white fish, ginger, and soy sauce, and ready in just 30 minutes. The hot steam rushes out the moment you tear open the foil, releasing incredible zesty scents that make a simple midweek meal feel special. I find this method guarantees perfectly moist fish every single time.

Why This Classic Works

I used to avoid cooking fish for dinner parties because timing the fillets perfectly felt stressful, but this parcel method removes that anxiety entirely. By sealing the ingredients in foil, you create a mini steamer that cooks the fish gently in its own juices while infusing it with the salty, savoury sauce. It is a foolproof technique that prevents the fish from drying out, even if you leave it in the oven a minute too long.

One mistake I made early on was slicing the vegetables too thickly, leaving them crunchy while the fish was already done. Now, I always ensure the peppers and ginger are cut into fine matchsticks so they soften quickly and meld beautifully with the soy and lime dressing.

Mary Berry Oriental fish parcels Ingredients

• 4 x 150g cod loins or thick white fish fillets (skinned)
• 2 pak choi, quartered lengthways
• 4 spring onions, shredded
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 100g sugar snap peas, halved lengthways
• For the sauce:
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp fresh root ginger, grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Salt and black pepper

How To Make Mary Berry Oriental fish parcels

1. Prepare The Foil: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6). Cut four large squares of aluminium foil (approx. 30cm x 30cm) and lightly grease the dull side of each piece with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. Build The Vegetable Base: Divide the pak choi, sliced red pepper, and sugar snap peas equally among the centre of each foil square, creating a raised bed for the fish to sit on.
3. Season The Fish: Place a cod loin on top of the vegetables in each parcel. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, grated ginger, chilli, lime juice, and sesame oil.
4. Seal The Parcels: Spoon the sauce generously over each fish fillet and the surrounding vegetables. Bring the edges of the foil up and scrunch them together tightly to seal the parcel, leaving a little air pocket inside for the steam to circulate.
5. Bake And Serve: Place the parcels on a baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish should be opaque and flake easily when tested. Serve immediately, allowing guests to open their own parcels.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t Wrap Too Tightly: While the edges must be sealed well to trap steam, leave a bit of space above the fish inside the parcel. This allows the heat to circulate and cook the fillet evenly from all sides.
• Check For Bones: Even if you buy ‘boneless’ fillets, it is always worth running your finger down the centre of the fish to check for pin bones. Remove any you find with tweezers before cooking.
• Vegetable Swaps: If you don’t have pak choi, spinach or tenderstem broccoli work wonderfully. Just ensure whatever green veg you use cooks relatively quickly or is sliced thinly.

What To Serve With Oriental Fish Parcels

These parcels are quite light, so I recommend serving them with steamed jasmine rice or coconut rice to soak up the delicious juices. For a lower-carb option, a side of stir-fried noodles or extra steamed greens with a drizzle of sesame oil pairs perfectly.

How To Store

Fish cooked this way is best eaten immediately as reheating can make it dry. However, if you have leftovers, store the fish and veg in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours and eat cold with a salad, or flake the fish into a stir-fry.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen fish? Yes, you can use frozen fish fillets, but you must defrost them thoroughly in the fridge overnight before cooking. Using them from frozen will release too much water and make the sauce watery.
• Can I prepare these ahead of time? You can assemble the parcels up to 4 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge. Just add a couple of minutes to the cooking time if they are going into the oven straight from the chilled fridge.
• Is this recipe spicy? The red chilli adds a gentle warmth rather than intense heat. If you are cooking for children or prefer it mild, simply deseed the chilli completely or omit it.

Nutrition

• Calories: 210 kcal
• Total Fat: 3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 60mg
• Sodium: 850mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 12g
• Protein: 32g