Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Thai Tilapia

Thai Tilapia - Like Thai Food but don't know how to make it at home? Do you like Tilapia but
you're tired of the same old recipes? Here's an easy to make, yet exotic tasting dish that you can make at home and wow your friends and family with!

Ingredients 
2 Large or 4 small Fillets of Tilapia (for 2 people - can be doubled with the same amount of ingredients - for more people add appropriate amount of listed ingredients)
1 Can of Coconut Milk
1 Green onion chopped
1 or 2 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce
4 large Basil leaves (Regular or Thai Basil)
2-3 Sliced Mushrooms
1 Schllot sliced (2-3 tablespoons of onion can be substituted
1 Jar Green Curry Paste

1 Cup Uncooked Rice

Start cooking the Rice First
Bring 1 1/2 Cup of water to a boil in a covered pot. Add 1 cup rice, stir, cover and lower the heat as low as it will go - just enough to keep it warm (it's best if you don't open the lid for 20 min or so.

In a large skillet (one with a cover is preferable but not necessary) pour the can of coconut milk in and start with a medium high heat. To keep from contaminating the curry paste, use 2 spoons, one to take the curry paste from the jar and tap it on the side of the skillet to drop the paste in the milk. Use the other spoon to stir the paste into the coconut milk. Add the Green Curry paste to taste - typically the Green Curry Paste is sweet but too much can still give you some heat! Keep adding paste and tasting the milk/curry mixture until it's to your liking. For reference I typically add around 3 teaspoons. Add the shallot, green onion, mushrooms, fish sauce, and sliced basil to the mixture, when it starts to simmer, turn the heat down to medium and add the fillets one at a time, making sure they get good contact with the mixture. As the fillets simmer, gently move them around in the pan to ensure they're all cooking evenly. When the fillets turn opaque/white all the way through - they're done! The rice should also be ready.

This dish can be served on a plate or in a bowl. Fish can be served beside or on top of the rice, spoon the vegetables and coconut milk mixture on the rice.

For Taste Sake
Basil is a delicate herb - it needs to be sliced or ripped just before you put it in the mixture, otherwise it will turn black while it waits to be put in the sauce.

Other fish can be substituted - Sawi, Basa, Perch, etc. thin white fish is best.

Peas, green beans or Broccoli make great side dishes.

This dish can also be prepared in the oven, in a Pyrex dish, 350 degrees.