Escabecheng tilapia is a popular Filipino dish cooked in a vinegar-based sauce. The tilapia is first fried until it is golden brown, then simmered in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, onion, and tomato sauce. You can even add vegetables like bell pepper and carrots in it, too. Tilapia Escabeche is typically served with rice and a side of salad.
Escabecheng tilapia – a great, sweet and sour dish – works well with pineapples, also!
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oil + 3 tbsp for sauteing
- 1 (4 oz) whole tilapia, cleaned & scaled, patted dry
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 (1”) piece ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 1/4 cups of water
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 5 tbsp white sugar
- salt & ground black pepper, as needed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 115g tomato sauce
Directions:
- Warm 1 cup of oil in your large saucepan to 350 F.
- Slice 2 to 3 slits on each side of the tilapia and season with salt as needed. Fry in your saucepan within 2 minutes per side until browned. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in your skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion plus garlic within 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Add the red bell pepper plus ginger and sauté within 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Meanwhile, mix the water, vinegar, tomato sauce, plus sugar in a bowl. Pour this mixture into the skillet, cover, and let it boil.
- Cook within 2 minutes until the water is slightly reduced. Season with salt plus pepper as needed.
- Add the cornstarch, and boil, occasionally stirring, within 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Pour this sauce over the cooked fish and serve.
Nutrition: Calories: 259; Carbs: 22.6g; Fat: 16.1g; Protein: 6.4g
