Crispy Tilapia

 CRISPY TILAPIA

(FUSION RECIPE)

Created by Robert and Siphannay Burnes 

(Picture Credit: Woksoflife.com)

    This is a fan favorite in this house. We get most of the seafood in Monterey fairly fresh and that includes this delicious Tilapia. We normally get two of these as one fish is about a single serving. There are a number of sides you can make to go along with this dish, but the basics are white rice, cucumbers, pickled veggies, and egg drop soup. 

WARNING: You're going to use some pretty hot oil here and there is a good chance that some of that oil will splash about. Be prepared to deal with some minor oil burns, smoke, and potentially a fire. This is a dangerous dish for children to be around as well. 

WARNING: Like most fish, Tilapia have bones. Small ones, big ones-lots of bones. Because of this, use caution when eating this fish as these bones are fairly sharp. Watch for the spine and close to the head for the sharpest, smallest bones. Use caution with children. 

    INGREDIENTS: 

1. Tilapia fish; 

2. About two cups of flour; 

3. Four red chili peppers; 

4. 1/2 cup of yellow onion; 

5. 1/4 of shallots; 

6. Four cloves of garlic; 

7. 1/2 cup of cilantro; 

8. 1/2 Tablespoon of chili powder; 

9. 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric; 

10. 1/2 cup of cooking oil; 

11. 1/2 cup of green onion; 

12. Table spoon of soy sauce; 

13. 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar; 

14. 1 Tablespoon of rice vinegar; 

15. 1 Teaspoon of smoked paprika. 

    PREP: 

    Preparation is key to this wonderful meal. I mix my liquids and keep them in a bowl near the cooking area as well as my dry spices. A pro-tip here is not to over season the flour that you use to dredge the fish. Instead, wait until the fish is nearly cooked to add those extras. You'll thank me later. 

1. Fish: Get the fish out of their package and set them out on a rack above a metal sheet. Make sure the grate is tall enough to get some air under the fish as you're looking to get the fish as dry as you can in a short of time as you can. I use paper towels to pat dry the fish and it is worth the extra effort to take your time. Once the fish is as dry as you can get it, set it on the grate for a few minutes to air dry. Great time to check the fish as well; it should not smell that bad at all. IF you can smell it, think twice. This is not a heavily fragrant fish;

2. Flour dredge. I set out a large cooking pan and put enough flour in the pan to coat both fish. I do not add any seasonings to the flour; 

3. Measure all the dry ingredients and set aside; 

4. Chop the garlic, yellow onion, and cilantro and place this into a bowl and mix; 

5. Julian the red chili peppers and place this into a bowl with the sugar; 

6. Chop the green onion and place into a bowl; 

7. Place all of the wet ingredients (Except the cooking oil) into a bowl and mix;

8. I use a dutch oven to cook this meal, but any deep pot or deep dished pan will do. 

    COOK: 

1. Take your tilapia and put it on a cutting board. Give the fish three to four deep cuts, diagonally, on each side. You want the cuts deep enough to be able to pack those areas with the garlic and onion, but not so deep that you cut through the other side. You're preparing a fish to eat, not making an example of these fish for your enemies;

2. Dredge the fish then pack the fish with the garlic/onion mix. You can try to pack the fish first then dredge it, but this typically ends up a mess and you're left with very little garlic or onion in the fish; 

3. Pour the cooking oil into the pan and turn the heat on to about medium. Let the oil heat up to about 350 degrees. 

4. Careful place the fish into the oil and turn the heat to about medium-high for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip the fish over and repeat for another 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to about medium low and finish cooking the fish for an additional 10 minutes (This might be less-watch the fish to ensure it is not overcooked or burned); 

5. Remove the fish and place them on a fresh, clean grate with something to catch the oil below the grate. Dust the fish with the dry seasoning, both sides, then cover with foil and allow it to rest for about 3-5 minutes. The fish should flake with a fork (easily) and the juices should be clear;

6. In a small sauce pan, stir in the red chili peppers and brown sugar and cook this until it is caramelized; 

7. Uncover the fish and garnish with cut green onion and cilantro; 

8. Add the caramelized red pepper to the wet ingredients and mix well. Gently pour this mixture over the fish OR you can serve it along the side of the fish. 

    SIDES:

    We serve this with a serving of steam rice and wok fried snow peas or sugar snap peas along with some cool cucumbers. Cucumbers are a common theme in a lot of Khmer cooking as it cleans the pallet really well and adds a completely new contrast to the dish.