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Fillets
Remove the skin from the fillets and slice diagonally across the fish to make fingers - dip in a light tempura batter (use a ready prepared mix) and deep fry until golden brown. If you don't have a deep fat fryer then a wok works well. Remember not to leave hot fat unattended! Serve the fish with a sweet chilli dip or tomato ketchup, a few fries and salad.
Another coating that is good on Tilapia is crunchy polenta (medium corn meal) - this gives the fish a nice gritty crunch and can be flavoured with chilli flakes if liked. The fillets are best skinned for this but can be either cut into fingers or left whole. Dip the fish in milk and then into seasoned polenta - add a good pinch of chilli flakes if liked. Shallow fry the fish until cooked through and the coating golden. Try serving with a green salad with sweet potato wedges.
A quick and easy dish to bake in the oven using Tilapia is to lay the fillets (skinless) in a shallow dish allowing two fillets per person. Mix equal quantities of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard (amount depends on the number of fillets but work on a heaped teaspoon of the final mix per fillet). Spread this mixture over the fillets and then sprinkle with breadcrumbs - We like to use a course wholemeal bread with seeds in it to make the crumbs but it's your choice). Drizzle the top with olive oil or a few dabs of butter and then bake in a hot oven 200° C/ Gas Mark 6 for 10 to 15 minutes until the fish is cooked and the topping crispy. Serve with seasonal vegetables.
Whole fish
Whole tilapia is fantastic baked in the oven wrapped in a foil parcel to keep all the wonderful flavours locked in. Try serving one fish each and let everyone savour the moment of opening their own parcels. The fish are quite bony but the flavour and texture of the flesh makes a few bones well worth while (though it is perhaps best to warn your guests!)
To prepare; make some cuts in the fish before rubbing in the flavouring both inside and on the skin then wrap up in foil and baking for around 20 minutes in a hot oven.
Tilapia is a wonderful fish for adding flavours to as it is quite mild tasting. Keep it simple with some slices of lemon or lime inside the fish and a rub of the same juice on the skin with seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.
To add another dimension to the fish try using a marinade - this can be homemade or ready prepared - whatever flavour takes your fancy.
Go Indian with a rub of curry paste, a glug of coconut milk and a sprinkle of coriander and serve the fish with rice and chutney.
What about Thai flavourings again using a curry paste? Red looks and tastes good - try serving with noodles and a stir fry of vegetables.
Chinese style flavouring also works well - try using a sachet of Chinese stir fry sauce to rub in and over the fish before cooking or make your own with brown sugar, ginger (powder or fresh grated), dark soy sauce and crushed garlic and a sprinkle of five spice. This could be again served with rice or noodles and stir fried vegetables.
