Baked Tilapia with Tasty Side Dish of Tomatoes and Onions Recipe

Baked Tilapia with Onions and Tomatoes

Tilapia-Worth of Boodle Fight

Tilapia is one of the most cultured and commercially sought-after freshwater fish in the Philippines. It grows mainly in ponds, lakes and rivers. They are favored because of their high protein content, large size and palatability. There are many ways to cook tilapia and one healthy option is by baking it. 

Today, we are going to bake tilapia, partnered with a tasty side dish of onions and tomatoes. Know what? When I think of this dish, I think of Boodle Fight. Boodle fight is gaining grounds in the Philippines as a popular culinary experience of eating competition. It's simple to set up. Just put this dish on the table alongside with a bunch of rice and other viands, as well as your choices of sauces, sliced fruits and vegetables and that’s it. 

Fun Fact!

Did you know that tilapia fish farming can be traced back along the waters of the Nile River in ancient Egypt? It was said that the fish was of great importance to the ancient Egyptians that it was given a hieroglyph of its own! Isn't that cool?

Now, let's start baking.

Recipe	Baked Tilapia with Onions and Tomatoes Side Dish
Serving	6
Prep Time	30 minutes
Baking Time	1 hour

For the TILAPIA MARINADE

◻️ 3 big pieces of Tilapia, cut and fillet into 6 pieces

◻️ 2 tbsp. salt

◻️ 2 tbsp. black pepper, ground

◻️ 2 tbsp. garlic powder

◻️ 2 tbsp. paprika powder

◻️ olive oil (for coating)

For the SIDE DISH

◻️ 8 - 9  medium-sized tomatoes, sliced thinly

◻️ 2 medium-sized red onions, sliced thinly

◻️ 1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce (patis) 

◻️ chopping board

◻️ kitchen knife

◻️ mixing spoon

◻️ mixing bowl

◻️ baking trays (for the tilapia and side dish) 

Tilapia marinade

Side dish ingredients

1 Marinate the fish. Coat the sides each piece of tilapia with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside.

Tilapia marinade

2  Deseed and julienne tomatoes into thin slice. Remove the seeds of the tomatoes and cut them into thin slices. Put tomato slices in a bowl.

deseeded and julienned tomatoes

3  Pour fish sauce or patis on the tomatoes. Mix the fish sauce and tomatoes together to incorporate the "umami flavor" of the patis. 

tomatoes with fish sauce (patis)

4  Cut the onions into half and julienne into thin slices. Once the onions are sliced, loosen the pieces to form into thin strips.

sliced onions

5  Prepare side dish for baking. Coat the baking tray with some olive oil. Pour the tomatoes and onions on the baking tray. Add some more patis if needed. Mix the mixture together and bake in the oven for 5 - 7 minutes at 230 degrees Celsius.

onions and tomatoes side dish

6  Prepare tilapia for baking. Grease the wire baking tray with olive oil. Coat both sides of each piece of tilapia with olive oil as well. Bake the side of tilapia with skin for 12 minutes and the other side for 10 minutes at 230 degrees Celsius.

preparing tilapia for baking

7  Arrange baked tilapia and side dish on a serving tray. Serve hot and enjoy. 

👍 For added flavor, you may drizzle or brush the sauce of the onions and tomatoes side dish onto the baked fish.

As you may already know, tilapia is a versatile fish in which you can cook countless dishes. Have you ever tried baking this kind of fish? I would love to know your thoughts. 

If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

 

Till next time!

Happy Cooking ! 

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Irresistible Fruit Salad Recipe

An Irresistible kind of Fruit Salad

As summer approaches, eating a fruit salad is a sure way of fighting off the sometimes punishing summer heat. The Filipino version of this dessert is composed of mixed fruits that are combined together with the luxuriant creaminess of condensed milk and all-purpose cream. This is then frozen in the refrigerator and served chilled. As you know, there are so many benefits we can get from fruits. Every time you eat this dessert, you are just getting your healthy doses of essential vitamins, minerals and fibers that your body needs.

Fun Fact!

Did you know that the idea of mixing a variety of fruits with sweet syrup is a "western concept"? Fruit Salad became a hit in the American households during the mid-19th century. Usually, it's a dish composing of a variety of fruits served in a liquid of syrup or their own juice. It was back in the 1930s that fruit cocktail was marketed in cans. Some believe that the early known fruit cocktail was made of damaged or rejected fruit pieces that were diced neatly and offered as ready-made fresh fruits for fruit salad. There was also a time when people thought that the word "cocktail" in fruit salad meant that "booze" was bring added in the dish, just like with any other cocktail drink.

Now, let’s start mixing! 🥢

Recipe	Fruit Salad
Serving	15
Prep Time	18 minutes
Mixing and Chilling Time	4 hours and 15 minutes to 1 day

◻️ 1 can of 3.0 kg fruit cocktail (biggest can)

◻️ 2 cans/pouches of 250 ml all-purpose cream

◻️ 2 cans/pouches of 250 ml condensed milk

◻️ slotted ladle / coriander

◻️ soup ladle

◻️ mixing bowl

◻️ container with lid 

1 Drain the cocktail fruits of juice using a coriander or slotted ladle. Drain the juice from the can and transfer contents in a separate container.

2 Get a bigger bowl or basin to mix all the ingredients. Pour in the cocktail fruits in the basin together with the condensed milk and all-purpose cream. 

3 Mix all the ingredients together. Blend in all the ingredients in a large bowl and transfer content in a container with lid. 

 

 

4 Put the container in a freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve chilled and enjoy. 

👍  If you wish to downsize the serving, just buy a smaller can of fruit cocktail, 1 can/pouch of all-purpose cream and 1 can/pouch of condensed milk.

Truly, having a chilled dessert this coming summer is a welcoming treat. Have you ever tried making this kind of dessert? I would love to know your thoughts. 

If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

 

Till next time!

Happy Cooking ! 

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Misua Noodles with Sardines Recipe

 

Another Food-in-a-Can Makeover

Here is another series of our food in can makeover. Today’s special will feature another way of cooking misua noodles with sardines. Yes, as in sardines in cans. For those who are not in the know, this particular canned food is known in the Philippines as a “poor man’s food”. One, it is cheap. Second, there’s no need to cook it for the ordinary folks as it’s a straight from the can meal. Yet, one shouldn’t feel embarrassed eating this type of food as this humble sardine offers more health benefits in our body that you can imagine. 

Fun Fact!

Did you know that eating sardines may give your body a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids? According to Healthline, Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that prevent heart disease. Sardines also contain some minerals that are beneficial for the body such as niacin, zinc, and iron, to name a few. They also contain vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium needed to fortify bones and teeth. 

Now, let’s start cooking! 🥢

Recipe	Misua Noodles with Sardines
Serving	6
Prep Time	15 minutes
Cooking Time	20 minutes

◻️ 2 150g cans of sardines in tomato sauce

◻️ 2 cups of leafy green vegetables, chopped (of your choice)

◻️ 3 tbsp of garlics, chopped

◻️ 3 tbsp of red onions, chopped

◻️ 4 medium-sized of tomatoes, sliced

◻️ 180 g (6.35 oz) of misua noodles 

◻️ 4 - 41/2 cups of water 

◻️ 1 tbsp of cooking oil 

◻️ black pepper (for seasoning)

◻️ soy sauce (for seasoning)

◻️ big skillet / wok or medium-sized stock pot

◻️ chopping board

◻️ kitchen knife

◻️ spatula

◻️ noodle ladle

◻️ soup ladle

1 Put the pan / wok on the stove. Turn on the stove to medium flame. Heat the oil in the pan. Pour the garlic in and sauté until brown. Next, sauté the red onions until the color changes to pale.

2 Add in the tomatoes. Stir fry the tomatoes until tender. 

3 Next, add in the leafy green vegetables. Stir fry the veggies for 2-3 minutes.

4 Next, pour in the sardines.  Add in a cup of water and stir the mixture gently. 

5 Add the remaining water gradually to soak the misua noodles in the broth. You may add more water as you wish, depending on how much broth you want for this dish. Let the broth boil for another 3 - 5 minutes or until the misua is cooked. 

6 Wait for broth to boil. Once the broth is boiling, add in the misua noodles. 

7 Serve hot and enjoy. 

👍 If you want more broth for this dish, use a stock pot instead of a skillet. 
👍There are a variety of canned sardines in the supermarkets and grocery stores. The one that contains tomato sauce works best for this recipe.

Sardines provide a lot of benefits for our body. Nevertheless, we have to take note that consuming too much of this fish in can  may have adverse effects as well because of its high sodium content. Remember, too much of something is not good for you.  As long as you don't eat canned sardines everyday, you're off the hook. Have you ever tried cooking this kind of dish? I would love to know your thoughts.

 
If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

 

Till next time!

Happy Cooking ! 

 

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