Step 1: Process the fish.
Depending on what kind of fish you managed to buy, we perform the necessary actions with it (fresh frozen - pre-defrost). If we have something ready in front of us fillet– it must be cut into 2 parts. If the fish is whole, we fillet it, carefully cutting off the fins, tail, removing the backbone and small bones.Step 2: Add spices to the fish.
In a special bowl, roll the fish in a mixture of spices: rosemary, oregano, basil, nutmeg, black pepper. Before rolling in greens - salt!
Step 3: Heat water in a double boiler.
Place the fish with spices in a steamer that is already releasing steam. Therefore, we pour water into its bottom and wait for it to boil. Step 4: Place lemon on tilapia.
Place lemons cut into thin slices (slices or halves of slices) onto the spiced fish. Step 5: Cook the fish.
Steam the tilapia for 10 minutes over medium heat, then reduce the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, let the fish sit for another 2 minutes and pull out her.
Step 6: Serve the steamed tilapia.
Steamed Tilapia is best served hot. It will look great with almost any side dish, for example: mint, stewed or fried potatoes, rice, legumes. Decoration in the form of fresh sprigs of greenery is effective, creating not only pleasant visual and taste impressions, but also very Nice smell. Bon appetit! Tilapia meat is high in protein and low in fat. It can be fried, baked, steamed;
One of the most attractive features of this fish is the minimal time required for its preparation. It cooks very quickly and is therefore the best option treats for unexpected guests or breakfast, dinner after work;
Even the simplest sauce (100 grams of mayonnaise and 50 grams of high-quality, full-fat sour cream, with a few teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice) will make the fish “melt” in your mouth.
Homemade fish dishes are a tasty and healthy delicacy that can be served at a regular family dinner or used as a decoration for a holiday table. How long and how to fry tilapia is known to few people, since this representative is found only on store shelves. Experienced housewives know that this fish has a small number of bones and is distinguished by its dietary properties. Cooking tilapia is easy and quick if you know the rules of baking and simple recipes. The product is characterized by juiciness, delicate structure, and pleasant aroma.
Choice
The choice of any fish also has its own nuances, compliance with which guarantees you the purchase of a quality product. Tilapia is sold frozen, so the specifics of its acquisition are related to the correct execution of the freezing process, its quantities and appearance characteristics.
Advice! A high-quality specimen should not have a crust of ice, as this indicates repeated defrosting of the fish, which was initially subjected to dry freezing.
If you have a whole carcass, then before frying it must be scraped of scales, all fins removed, and the head and tail cut off. Next, the abdomen is opened and the insides are thoroughly cleaned, then the skin and backbone with large bones are removed. The resulting two meat halves are washed and dried on paper napkins. Ready-made fillets should be thawed at room temperature or, packed in plastic bag, put under cool water.
Tilapia meat can be cut into small pieces or fried in large layers. No matter how many parts the fillet is divided, the fish will not change its taste qualities. Pre-marinating in soy sauce, as well as in spices, special seasonings and lemon juice, makes it possible to add piquancy to the dish.
Golden crust
The fillet retains its juiciness perfectly when coated with flour or another type of breading. And tasty layer helps the meat not fall apart during cooking and forms a golden crust on the surface. No matter how much housewives try to do without breading ingredients, it should be noted that only with their use can a crispy, golden-brown shell be achieved.
Required:
- 4 fillets from two medium specimens;
- 4 tsp. soy sauce;
- 2 tsp. seasonings for fish;
- 50 gr. wheat product;
- 50 ml vegetable oil.
Cut the defrosted meat into portions, place in a container and pour in soy sauce, leaving to soak for half an hour. In a separate plate, mix flour and seasoning, and heat a frying pan with oil over high heat. Roll each marinated slice in breading several times, then place in hot dishes, reducing the oven intensity to medium level. How long does it take to fry tilapia pieces in a frying pan until a crispy layer forms? Three minutes on each side will be enough until this snack is completely ready. There is no need to close the lid, otherwise the fish may turn out to be stewed.
An oven is also suitable for preparing a dish with a crust, but few people know how long it will take to bake. After heating the device to 200 degrees, you can place a baking sheet with fish inside, laid out on foil or parchment. Twenty minutes of frying will be quite enough.
Pieces
This recipe will help turn ordinary fish into a real homemade delicacy.
To fry two layers of fillet, take:
- 50 gr. almonds;
- 2 tbsp. l. coarsely crumbled crackers;
- 1 tbsp. l. mustard mass;
- 1.5 tbsp. l. sunflower oil;
- special fish seasoning.
Before frying, you need to wash and dry the fillet, which is then divided into portions. Heat the almonds in a hot, dry frying pan for a few minutes and let them cool, placing them on a flat plate. Mix and grind seasoning, crackers and nuts using a blender. Spread the pieces with mustard, sprinkle each with the resulting breading and place in oil in a frying pan, which must be heated well. Fry for as long as required until evenly browned on both sides.
Breaded
Crispy breadcrumbs not only help create a nice crust, but also help maintain the tender texture of the tilapia meat.
Ingredients:
- fillet parts of two carcasses;
- 1 tsp. table salt;
- 100 gr. crackers;
- ground black pepper;
- vegetable oil.
How many minutes will it take to fry whole layers of breaded fillet? The baking process over a moderate flame will take about a quarter of an hour, distributing time for each side. But before this, the fish meat should be rubbed with salt and pepper, then dipped in crushed crackers, and then evenly distributed on the bottom of a hot frying pan with oil. Delicious tilapia plastics can be served with any side dish, and it is also recommended to decorate the dish with herbs and pour over a spicy sauce.
Breaded
To quickly and tasty fry fish in an original way, you can use batter, which makes it more nutritious.
You need to take:
- meat part of two carcasses;
- 2 chicken eggs;
- 1 lemon;
- 3 tbsp. l. wheat ingredient;
- 3 tbsp. l. breadcrumbs;
- 100 gr. vegetable fat;
- salt, ground black pepper and allspice.
First, rub the prepared meat layers with spices and sprinkle with the juice of half a lemon, leaving the fish to marinate for fifteen minutes. How much pepper and salt you need should be determined according to your taste. In one container, mix flour and breadcrumbs, and in another, beat eggs with a whisk. Roll the piece in the dry mixture, then dip it in the eggs, then place it in a frying pan in boiling oil. Reducing the heat, fry for about four minutes on both sides. Garnish the battered tilapia with lemon and tomato wedges before serving. How to serve as a side dish vegetable salad, boiled rice or baked potatoes.
In batter with cheese
An appetizer of fish in dough with cheese will add variety to any table and will please even gourmets.
Main ingredients:
- 2 kg tilapia;
- 1 tbsp. flour;
- 2 eggs;
- 200 gr. hard cheese;
- 200 ml kefir;
- sunflower oil;
- salt.
Beat kefir and eggs until smooth. Add flour, salt and mix the contents well. Pass the cheese through a fine grater and add to the mixture. Having received the dough in the form of thick sour cream, dip all the pieces of fish into it and place them in hot oil. The dish should be fried until a golden surface crust appears on each barrel. How many minutes it will take should be determined by adjusting the intensity of the temperature regime.
In beer batter
At the beginning of the process, you need to separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in the refrigerator.
To properly create a batter based on an intoxicating drink, it is recommended to use only chilled products.
Mix flour with spices and seasonings, then add light beer, yolks, butter or vegetable oil, and whipped whites. The resulting mass should be brought to a homogeneous state. Sprinkle the fish pieces with flour, “bathe” them in the dough and place them in hot oil. Fry the product in a frying pan without a lid. How correctly the dough is made, the final dish will be delicious.
Tilapia is not a bony fish, it is tender and can be easily cooked. Any buffet or family dinner will become more varied and beautiful with such a nutritious dish.
If you want to impress your family and friends with your culinary skills, then be sure to cook tilapia for them. No one can resist the juicy fillet, fried until crispy, and its amazing aroma. Making a dish from this fish is quite easy; it can be prepared in a matter of minutes using minimum quantity ingredients. The meat is very tender, has almost no bones and literally melts in your mouth.
Composition and calorie content of the product
Tilapia lives in freshwater bodies and is often called “river chicken.” In Russian stores you can find both fresh fish and frozen fillets. Meat is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and B vitamins. But the protein content is especially high: 26 grams per 100 grams of product, which corresponds to almost half the daily requirement required by the adult body.
The calorie content of fried tilapia is 128 kcal, which is not high. For example, the energy value of cooked trout is 210 kcal, and herring - 183 kcal. In addition, you can cook fish without flour, then the calorie content in the dish will be even lower. Due to the small amount of fat and relatively low calorie content, this type of fish can be safely classified as a dietary product.
Preparation
Frying tasty tilapia is very simple, and necessary products is in every housewife's kitchen.
So, you will need the following ingredients:
- tilapia (fillet or whole fish) – 3 large pieces;
- lemon or lime – 1 piece;
- flour – 60 grams;
- breadcrumbs – 60 grams;
- vegetable oil – half a glass;
- egg - 2 pieces;
- salt and spices - to taste;
- garlic – 3 cloves.
Also prepare the following equipment: a whisk, a spatula, a cutting board, paper towels, two deep bowls and a large non-stick frying pan.
How to marinate fillet correctly?
To make the dish as appetizing as possible, you need to properly prepare its main ingredient. If you purchased fresh fish, fillet it: remove the head and clean the meat from the bones. If desired, cut the tilapia into portions, although many people prefer to cook it in whole pieces. Be sure to delete excess moisture why blot the fish paper towel, otherwise the dish will turn out too watery.
Now let's add a special taste to our tilapia. Rub it well with salt, sprinkle with black pepper and pour plenty of lemon juice. For this, one part of the citrus is enough, the second part is useful for decoration. ready-made dish. Garlic will add a special piquancy - crush three medium cloves directly onto the fish and leave everything to marinate for 20 minutes.
Together with pepper (or instead of it), you can use other spices, of which there is now a large selection in stores. In general, seasonings containing coriander, basil, cumin, garlic and fennel work well. By successfully combining them, you can prepare a delicious dish with an extraordinary aroma.
Fry the fish until golden brown
While the fish is marinating, prepare the remaining necessary ingredients. Beat the eggs with a whisk in a deep bowl until foam appears, and in another bowl mix flour and crackers in equal proportions. Thanks to the breading, the fish will retain its shape when fried and acquire a beautiful golden crust. Pour oil into a thick-bottomed frying pan and place over high heat to heat.
Dip the tilapia first in the egg, then in the breading. We do this with all the fish and let the pieces lie in a bowl with flour and breadcrumbs for a couple of minutes. By this time, the oil in the frying pan will have warmed up, which means you can begin the main process. Carefully place the tilapia into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, which usually takes 4 minutes per side. The fish cooks quickly - the total time is no more than 10 minutes. A beautiful crust and an appetizing smell are signs that the frying pan can be removed from the heat.
Without flour and eggs
There is another way to fry tilapia. We will cook without breading, but this will make the fish no less tasty. In this recipe we will do without flour, breadcrumbs and eggs, but we will need two carrots and an onion.
First salt the fillet and marinate it in lemon juice and spices. While the fish is soaking, peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater, and cut the onion into half rings. Then sauté the vegetables in a separate frying pan. You can add to the onion-carrot mixture tomato paste, a clove of garlic or herbes de Provence for flavor.
Heat the sunflower oil and place the tilapia pieces into it. Fry the fish on one side for 5 minutes, turn it over and add the sautéed vegetables. Cover the frying pan with a lid, reduce the heat and leave for another 5 minutes to simmer. The total cooking time in this case will be 12–15 minutes, which depends on individual characteristics slabs
As you can see, cooking fish is easy, and if you are missing some ingredient, you don’t have to run to the store. Read important recommendations, perhaps you will find another solution in them:
- instead of wheat flour, you can use corn flour, and instead of breadcrumbs, a piece of bread crushed in a blender;
- The whisk can easily be replaced with a fork, but in this case the whipping process will take a little longer;
- if you don't feel like filleting, just cut the fish into small pieces;
- You can cook without eggs - before frying, roll the fillet in breading;
If you don’t like a crispy crust, then do the following: after the fish is cooked, pour a teaspoon of water into the frying pan, turn off the heat, close the lid and let the dish stand for about 10 minutes
- lemon neutralizes the specific fishy smell; if this aroma does not bother you, then it is not necessary to use citrus for pickling;
- fish can be fried not only in sunflower oil, but also in olive, corn and even butter;
- It’s convenient to bread fillet pieces in a plastic bag: place flour, crackers and fish there, close the bag and shake.
It's hard to mess up a tilapia dish, so you can experiment. For example, before frying, roll the pieces in ground almonds or sprinkle the fish with cheese at the end of cooking.
Serving tilapia correctly
Fried tilapia goes best with the following side dishes:
- boiled potatoes;
- fluffy long grain rice;
- salad of fresh or pickled vegetables;
- cooked vegetables, such as a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower.
Potatoes can be served in the form of mashed potatoes, but it should not be dry, it is better to add more milk. Rice is considered one of the most compatible foods with fish; it can be prepared with carrots and red pepper. But what fish does not go well with is pasta and buckwheat. This proximity on the plate will not allow the taste of the tilapia to fully develop.
The fillet can also be served as an independent dish. Place the delicious golden piece on a plate and garnish it with lemon slices and sprigs of herbs. Don't forget the sauce! Classic tomato, as well as egg, garlic and mustard sauces go well with dishes made from this fish.
To learn how to cook tilapia in batter, watch the following video.
Tilapia is usually sold frozen as fillets. With firm, white flesh and a mild flavor, this fish develops excellent flavor when steamed with plenty of vegetables, spices or sauces.
Fillet can be cooked directly from frozen or defrosted in advance. Freshly frozen fish does not absorb the taste of the marinade, but retains its own aroma. You can also buy fresh fillets and freeze them yourself for next time.
Defrosting frozen tilapia
To properly defrost tilapia, place it inside a bowl, cover with a lid or plate, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. If you don't have time for this method, place the fillets in a plastic bag and then submerge them in a cup of cold water. Do not use warm water, as this will create a favorable environment for bacteria.
Use an undamaged plastic bag, otherwise the tilapia flesh will absorb water as it thaws, affecting its flavor. In addition, you can defrost fillets using a microwave using a special mode. You must buy fish that has been frozen fresh, otherwise additional temperature manipulations may cause it to spoil quickly.
Cooking Thawed Tilapia
You can cook the fillet in a hot frying pan. The hotter the pan, the crispier the fish will be. Alternatively, you can bake the tilapia in the oven. Due to its firm flesh, its fillet also cooks well on the grill.
Thawed fish can be marinated or seasoned with dry spices before cooking.
Place the fillets in a sealed plastic bag along with the wet and dry ingredients marinade. It is advisable to marinate the raba for 20 minutes to an hour. The marinade penetrates the tilapia flesh faster than dry rub. When rubbing the fillets with dry spices, make sure that they are only slightly wet. Do not rub the meat as it is quite thin and will tear. Red fish from the store or freshly caught is prepared in the same way.
Cooking Frozen Tilapia
Tilapia can be cooked frozen, saving time on defrosting. There is no point in marinating iced fillets, but adding a flavorful sauce during or immediately after cooking can enhance the flavor. Fresh frozen fish can also be boiled, steamed, baked or fried.
To cook fillets from frozen, rinse them under running water to remove the top ice, and then blot it dry. Then put a frying pan on the fire with a small amount olive oil and put the fish there. The meat is cooked when it flakes easily with a fork.
In tilapia Lately unimportant reputation as an exotic foreigner of unknown origin. However, ill-wishers did not consider it necessary to learn that this fish is a relative of the well-known perch, and it comes from the rivers of Africa. It is also called “St. Peter’s fish,” since according to legend, the holy apostle, while traveling, caught tilapia. And the legend calls the dark spots behind the gills the fingerprints of the holy apostle. But let's get back to culinary issues. Tilapia has very tender and at the same time lean meat, so you can prepare any dish from it - boil, fry, bake. And cooking tilapia fillet is a sacred thing.
Are you racking your brains to figure out what kind of snack to come up with? festive table? Try cooking tilapia in batter.
- Tilapia in batter. Buy four pieces of this fillet, wash and dry them with a paper towel. Add salt or use a special seasoning for fish. Set the prepared pieces aside and let them marinate a little. And you will do the dough for the batter. Beat three eggs, combine them with ½ glass of milk or cream, add salt, add chopped herbs, mix everything. Add five tablespoons of flour, you will get a dough like pancakes.
Cut the fish into small portions, dip each in batter and fry in hot oil.
This dish is equally tasty both hot and as a cold appetizer.
- Tilapia fillet in potato breading. In this recipe, the base of the batter will not be flour, but potatoes. To prepare the dish you will need fish fillet (600 g) and medium potatoes (five pieces). In addition, prepare an onion, two eggs, 3 tbsp. spoons of flour, seasonings and vegetable oil.
Wash the tilapia fillet, dry it, salt or sprinkle with seasonings and leave for marinating. At this time, finely chop and fry the onion, grate the potatoes on a fine grater, squeeze and place in a bowl. Add onions, two raw eggs, and seasonings. Everything needs to be mixed well. The breading is ready.
Heat the oil well in a frying pan, but then cook over medium heat. Next, dip a piece of fillet on one side in the breading and place it in a frying pan so that the potatoes are at the bottom. And we will also apply breading to the top part. Fry for ten minutes, then carefully turn over all the fillet pieces with a spatula, reduce the heat further and then fry the fish under the lid.
This is an original and satisfying dish. It is convenient because it does not require a side dish, just a vegetable salad.
- Tilapia fillet in the oven. This dish can be prepared in the most different options. Try this simple recipe.
Take four small pieces of fillet, rub them with seasonings and salt, and place them in a greased pan. Place a couple of lemon slices on each fillet.
Heat the oven to 175 degrees and place the fish pan in it. In twenty minutes the dish is ready. It will be especially tasty if sprinkled with herbs and served with mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-sour cream mixture.
- Steamed tilapia. This dish will especially appeal to supporters healthy eating. It's not at all difficult to prepare. Wash the fillet pieces, pour in lemon and soy sauce, sprinkle with seasonings. Let the fish marinate for about twenty minutes. And then - into the steamer, and after 10 minutes you can serve a healthy and flavorful dish on the table.
- Tilapia with sauce. The set of products is as follows: three pieces of fillet, 100 g of champignons, one onion, one clove of garlic, ½ teaspoon of dry oregano, one tomato, several olives.
Place the frying pan over medium heat and prepare the sauce: fry the onion cut into half rings for a couple of minutes, add chopped garlic, then chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives. Add oregano, pepper and salt. When the sauce boils, place the fish fillet in it and lightly pour the sauce on top. Reduce the heat and then cook the fish covered for 10 minutes.
- "Dragon Rose" This is the name of the original and very tasty dish, prepared from tilapia and cod fillets. To ensure that the result does not disappoint you, try to choose the right tilapia. A good dry-frozen fillet is tender pink color. The box should say “King Perch.” And cod fillets should have as few bones as possible.
First, prepare the marinade. Crush and grind pine nuts or some other nuts. Let's add one tbsp to them. a spoonful of olive or sunflower oil and ½ tbsp. spoons of wine, mix everything.
Thawed fish fillets should be washed under running water very cold water. Place tilapia on cutting board, salt and pepper, coat with marinade. Next comes the most interesting part: we must roll the tilapia fillet into a roll and secure it with a skewer. We grease the top of this miniature roll with ketchup to preserve the pink color of the fillet. After this, fry all the rolls in a frying pan.
Next up is cod fillet. Lightly sprinkle it with lemon juice and fry it covered in the same frying pan. For juiciness, the fish can be greased with mayonnaise. In about twenty minutes the cod is ready.
Place a tilapia roll and a piece of cod on each plate. Beautiful combination pink and white supplemented with sprigs of greenery.
- Tilapia fillet covered with vegetables and cheese crust, cooked in a slow cooker. Ingredients: tilapia fillet (500-600 g), hard cheese (50 g), one beet, carrot, onion, a spoon of vegetable oil, salt and seasonings.
Cut the tilapia fillet into portions, sprinkle with fish seasoning and salt. Chop the onion into thin rings with a knife, grate the beets and carrots on a coarse grater, and grate the cheese on a fine grater.
Pour oil into the multicooker bowl, put onion, part of the beets and carrots on the bottom. On top are pieces of fish fillet. The most top layer- all the remaining vegetables. Turn on the “Baking” mode, time – 45 minutes.
Rice or potatoes can be an excellent side dish for this dish.
- Tilapia soup.
The soups made from this fish are excellent, with a juicy, sweetish taste.
Prepare the necessary set of products: tilapia fillet - three pieces, shrimp - 300 g, rice - ½ cup, celery - 2 stalks, one onion, lemon - two slices, spices, salt.
Cut the tilapia fillet into small pieces, place in a pan and fill with water. Let's drop it there Bay leaf ok, two peppercorns. Bring water to a boil and add rice. Ten minutes later – chopped celery. Next are peeled shrimp. Don't forget to salt the soup.
Fry finely chopped onions and carrots in a frying pan with vegetable oil, you can add a little grated ginger root.
Check the readiness of the rice. If it is soft enough, remove the peppercorns and bay leaves from the soup, add chopped herbs and lemon slices.
So the beautiful, fragrant and healthy dish. Invite your household.
It remains to be recalled that telapia fillet, which contains little fat and a lot of protein, is ideal for preparing various dietary dishes.
- Baked tilapia fillet. This is a low carb recipe and if you are watching your weight, add this dish to your menu.
To prepare three servings, you will need half a kilogram of tilapia fillet, two tablespoons each. spoons of butter and mayonnaise, 60 g of grated cheese, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
First of all, make the sauce: mix all the ingredients except the fish. Place a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and place portioned tilapia fillets on it. Bake in the preheated oven for no more than four minutes. Then remove the baking sheet, pour the prepared sauce over the fish and bake for another couple of minutes. The sauce has acquired a brownish tint and started to bubble - the dish is ready. Enjoy its unusual taste.
