Lemon garlic tilapia

Fourteen years and a month to the day my blogging journey started! Why almost a month you ask? Because other than me, no one else keeps count!

I love kitchen gadgets, my latest, a gift actually, is a garlic press. I've been through a couple of them that subsequently ended up in the trash because there's nothing more frustrating than using a gadget that just doesn't work. In the one week since I got it, crushed garlic has been in every dish I've made.

Today's was lemon garlic tilapia. An excuse really, to press out more garlic. The garlic comes out in tiny cubes and gets a little crushed in the process, allowing more garlic flavour to permeate through the food, as compared to chopping it up.

The fish was tilapia fillets. Tilapia has a mild taste and absorbs flavours well.

To fry the seasoned fish, I used a combination of butter and oil. Oil first in the pan and then butter prevents the butter from burning. The only herb I used was parsley. You could use some Italian seasoning and chilli flakes but for me, just this herb and an aromat is sufficient.

Wash and pat dry the fillets. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides. Dust them with flour and drop them a few at a time into the butter oil mix. Lightly fry them on one side, turn over and do the other side as well. Remove and drain on kitchen towels.

Repeat with the rest of the fish.
Arrange the fish on a serving platter.

In the remaining oil, lightly sauté the chopped garlic on a really low flame.  Take care not to let it change colour. Add fresh squeezed lime juice and chopped parsley. Season to taste. If you like a more buttery sauce, you can increase the amount of butter to 200 gm.

Spoon the lemon garlic sauce over the fillets. I like to serve it with sautéed beans and creamy mashed potatoes.

Lemon garlic tilapia

Ingredients

500 gm whole tilapia fillets

(substitute with snapper or pomfret) 

90 gm unsalted butter or double it if preferred 

2 tablespoons oil

8-10 large cloves of garlic, minced fine

Juice of 2 limes 

A handful of fresh parsley,  chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup flour

Method 

Wash and dry the fillets.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the fish, coat in flour.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add in half the butter.

Shake off excess flour from the fillets and place in the pan, avoid overcrowding. 

When one side is done, turn over and cook the other side as well.

Remove onto a serving plate.

Repeat with remaining fillets.

Strain off any sediment, add remaining butter into the pan. Melt over a low heat and add in garlic.

Sauté till just about beginning to change colour and it gives out a fragrant aroma.

Add in the lime juice and chopped parsley. Season to taste.

Put the fillets into the garlic butter sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the fillets, allow to cook for a couple of minutes.  

Or like what I did, spoon the sauce over the fillets. But do ensure the fish is cooked through if doing it this way.

Serve with sautéed beans and mashed potatoes.