Tilapia is a nutrient-rich and easy-to-cook ingredient, perfect for steaming or frying dishes. Join Hello Asia in the kitchen for two tilapia recipes: Hong Kong style and crispy and savory mushroom sauce !
1. Tilapia in Hong Kong sauce
- Preparation: 20 minutes
- Cooking: 45 minutes
- For: 3 people
Ingredients for preparing red tilapia with Hong Kong sauce
- 1 tilapia (500g)
- 200 ml of meat broth
- 2 red peppers
- 20g of spring onions
- 20g coriander
- 10g oyster sauce
- 10g soy sauce
- 25g soy sauce
- 30g seafood soy sauce
- 5g fish sauce
- 5g of glutamate
- 10g sugar
- 8g chicken powder (can be replaced with bouillon powder)
- 100g onion (diced)
- 20g chopped garlic
- 20g chopped ginger
- 1 liter of cooking oil
How to prepare red tilapia with Hong Kong sauce
Prepare the fish:
Cut and clean the inside of the fish, remove the gills and any blood that is sticking to the bones. Rinse the fish in clean water. Slit the belly of the fish so that it can stand upright while frying.
Fry the fish:
Insert a skewer through the gills so that the fish stands upright while frying. Heat enough oil (about 3/4 of the fish) over low heat. When the oil reaches 130-140°C, gently lower the fish into it. Fry over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, basting the fish regularly with hot oil so that it cooks evenly. Then increase the heat and fry for another 3 minutes until the fish becomes crispy. Remove and drain.
Advice:
- Slowly lower the fish into the oil to avoid splashing.
- Do not fry for too long so that the flesh remains tender.
Prepare the sauce:
Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, seafood soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, glutamate and chicken powder in a bowl.
Cook the sauce:
Heat 20g of oil in a frying pan, sauté the ginger, onion and garlic. Add 200ml of meat stock and the sauce mixture. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the spring onion before turning off the heat.
Instead of cooking the sauce yourself, you can purchase Shing Kee Hoisin Sauce to shorten the cooking time.
Presentation:
Arrange the fish on a plate, pour the sauce over it and garnish with coriander and chilli. Tilapia in Hong Kong sauce is characterised by its crispy skin, tender and sweet flesh, all enhanced by a rich and flavourful sauce.
2. Tilapia in mushroom sauce
- Preparation: 20 minutes
- Cooking: 45 minutes
- For: 3 people
Ingredients for making Red Tilapia with Mushroom Sauce
- 1 tilapia (350g)
- 40g shiitake mushrooms (3 fresh mushrooms and 3 dried mushrooms)
- 1 sachet of frying powder
- 30g enoki mushrooms
- 2 peppers (1 red and 1 green)
- 10g chopped shallot
- 10g chopped garlic
- 5g chopped ginger
- 2 green peppers
- 5g cornstarch
- 2.5g of glutamate
- 2.5g soy sauce
- 2.5g of bouillon powder
- 2g of sugar
- 5g sesame oil
Choosing Shiitake Mushrooms
Fresh: Choose mushrooms that are uniformly brown, firm and have a distinctive aroma.
Dried: Choose dried mushrooms that are firm and light in color. Avoid those that are soft or moldy.
Choosing Enoki Mushrooms
Choose fresh mushrooms with intact roots, no blemishes or strange odors.
How to Make Red Tilapia with Mushroom Sauce
Prepare the fish:
Clean the fish, remove the gills and blood. Add 2 crushed chillies to the belly to eliminate the smell and enhance the flavour. Lightly score the sides of the fish for better absorption of flavours and crispier cooking.
Fry the fish:
Coat the fish in frying powder, then gently dip it into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides, then drain.
Advice:
- Use enough oil to make the fish crispy.
- Gently lower the fish to avoid splashing.
Prepare the vegetables:
Dice the peppers, remove the stems from the fresh shiitake mushrooms and dice them. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water, then dice them. Cut the enoki mushrooms into 1 to 1.5 cm pieces.
Cook the sauce:
Heat 20g of oil in a frying pan, sauté the garlic, shallot and ginger. Add the shiitake mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the peppers and enoki mushrooms, sauté for another 2 minutes. Then add the glutamate, bouillon powder, sugar, soy sauce, 1/2 bowl of water, cornstarch and sesame oil. Mix well and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Instead of cooking the sauce yourself, you can purchase Shing Kee Hoisin Sauce to shorten the cooking time.
Presentation:
Arrange the fish on a plate, pour the sauce over it and garnish with coriander. Serve with white rice to fully appreciate the flavor of the fish combined with the rich and tasty sauce.
Additional tips:
Enjoy immediately after pouring the sauce to preserve the crispiness of the fish.
If you are not eating the fish immediately, wait before pouring the sauce so that it remains crispy.
How to choose a good tilapia
Appearance: Choose a fish that is bright pink in color, with well-attached scales. Avoid those that are dull in color, disproportionately shaped, or have loose scales.
Gills: Choose a fish with uniformly dark pink gills. If they are dark red or blackish, the fish is not fresh.
Eyes: Choose a fish with clear, transparent eyes. Avoid those with cloudy eyes.
Texture: Press lightly on the belly of the fish. A fresh fish is firm and elastic. If the flesh is soft or sags, the fish is not fresh.
How to clean tilapia
Use salt water or rice water to remove mucus and fishy smell.
You can also use lemon, vinegar or alcohol to rinse the fish.
Tips for reusing oil
Let the oil cool, then strain it to remove any residue. Store the strained oil in a clean jar, away from direct sunlight.
With these two methods of preparing Fried Nile Tilapia with Hong Kong Sauce and Crispy Mushroom Sauce, Hello Asia hopes you have found fun and creativity in your cooking. The rich and delicious flavors not only enrich family meals, but also provide unique culinary experiences. Try them now and feel the difference these dishes can bring. I wish you success and complete and tasty meals in the company of your loved ones!
