Ginataang Tilapia

Rene Astudillo

Ginataang Tilapia (Photo by Rene Astudillo)

I never liked eating fish when I was growing up. But the only reason was because I didn’t like to deal with the fish bones. There were at least half a dozen occasions when a fish bone got stuck in my throat and my mom would ask me to eat a fresh banana to get it out! But when the “technology” of de-boning and filleting fish became more widespread, my whole attitude towards fish changed completely.

One of my favorite fish dishes is tilapia (in the Philippines, the larger tilapia is called “pla pla”) with coconut milk (gatá ng niyog).  It serves both as soup and as an entrée.  It is especially delicious when served hot with steamed rice!  This same dish can be cooked with catfish or any other white fish.

With the supermarket convenience of fish fillets and canned coconut milk, cooking this dish is truly a breeze!

Ingredients

3 medium tilapia fillets, cut into bite-size cubes2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed1 medium onion, peeled and cubed2 medium fresh tomatoes, sliced into quarters1 tbsp Olive oil1 can, coconut milkSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste2 cups, broccoli florets1 cup, sliced crimini mushroomsFresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot or wokAdd the garlic and heat until golden brownAdd onionsAdd the tilapia fillets and mushrooms and stir constantlyAdd salt and pepper to tastePour the coconut milk and let it boil, stirring constantly with the pot uncoveredReduce to medium heat before adding the broccoliAs soon as the broccoli florets turn dark green, turn the heat off and add the fresh tomatoesLet it stand for a minute or two before serving in a bowl.  Garnish with fresh cilantroBest served with steamed white or brown rice.

(Makes 4-6 servings)