Skip to main content

Tilapia poached in spicy coconut milk with couscous, mango and pickled red onion



This recipe came to me from a need to clean out my freezer, cupboard and fridge. Because I love to cook, I often have a surplus of ingredients. I buy cans of coconut milk, for example, in pairs since my store often runs deals. I use the first can for the recipe it was intended for, and then I have an extra can sitting in my cabinet, waiting.

I also love to buy fish when the price is right and freeze it. I was going through my chest freezer and realized I had some lovely tilapia fillets that I needed to use up pronto. I decided to poach them in the coconut milk. Most of the savory recipes that I make that use coconut milk also involve cumin, coriander and turmeric; it seems a smart decision to use them here.

I always have couscous on hand; it is a quick cooking starchy side dish made from semolina flour. I thought it would be perfect under the fish to sop up the coconut milk sauce. I had extra shredded red cabbage on hand from making coleslaw the previous day. I thought the pop of color would be lovely, but I also love having red cabbage with my fish tacos. After I made the decision to use red cabbage, I realized this recipe could steal two of my other favorite ingredients from fish tacos; mango and pickled red onion.

This recipe came together in a flash and was everything I hoped it would be and more. The flavors of the garlicky couscous, the tender flaky fish, the warmly spiced and rich coconut sauce, the sweet and sour mango, and the salty-sweet pickled red onion married so well and created a well-rounded dish; multi-faceted in flavors and color (the white fish, the yellow-orange mango, the golden sauce, the red cabbage and red pickled onion, the tri-colored couscous and the bright pop of green from the parsley). A feast for the eyes and the mouth, and it all came together in 30 minutes! Try it for yourself and enjoy!

Fish
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly cracked black pepper
4 6 ounce fillets of tilapia
1/4 cup diced mango
parsley, chopped

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pour the coconut milk into a 9 by 9 square inch pan (if the coconut milk has separated, heat it in the microwave or on the stove to re-emulsify it). Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper and stir. Lay each fillet of tilapia in the pan and turn to coat it completely in the coconut milk.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve on top of couscous with extra coconut milk sauce, chopped mango, parsley, and pickled red onion. Enjoy!

Couscous
Ingredients:
1 cup tri-color couscous 
3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
3 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ghee
1 1/4 cup water

Method:
In a medium sauce pan with lid, add the ghee, red cabbage and garlic. Cook until the red cabbage is wilted and the garlic is fragrant. Add the salt and water and bring to a boil. Pour in the couscous, stir into the water, and shut off the heat. Put on the lid and let the couscous steam for five minutes.

Fluff it with a fork before serving.



Quick pickled red onion
Ingredients:
1 red onion sliced very thinly (on a mandolin)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon peppercorns

Method:
Add the sliced red onions to a heat proof bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add the vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil, until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes and pour over the red onions. Let them pickle in the vinegar for at least 30 minutes before using.

Store the onions in the pickling liquid in an airtight jar in the fridge. They make a great addition to tacos and sandwiches!






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Raspberry Pomegranate Jam

Tis the season to be making homemade gifts! Pomegranates are in season and their juice is a festive deep ruby red color. I knew I had to make them into a jam to give away. Straight pomegranate flavor is a little tart for me; I added raspberries for the texture of their seeds and their sweetness. This is a very simple recipe to make and will yield 6 to 7 8 ounces jars of jam or 12 to 14 4 ounce jars, if you like to give away sample sizes during the holidays. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups pomegranate juice 1 cup mashed raspberries 7 cups sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/75 ounce package Sure Jell Method: Sterilize your jars and lids. Set aside. In a heavy bottomed large stock pot, add the pomegranate juice, raspberries and butter. Mix well. Add in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil then stir in the Sure Jell. Allow to boil hard for 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into the sterile jars, twist on the lids and pr

Peek-a-boo Squares

My grandma, Mimi, taught me this recipe. I used to make this with her and my mother as a child. It is my very favorite dessert. It is incredibly easy to make, and even easier to eat. My favorite part of making this as a child was dusting every bar generously with snowy white powdered sugar.  My favorite version of this dessert uses canned blueberry pie filling; I vastly prefer Libby brand over the store brand. You can make blueberry pie filling from scratch with sugar, cornstarch, bleberries, etc. but using the canned stuff is easy in a pinch and is much for nostalgic for me. Plus, I don’t notice a vast improvement over my homemade blueberry pie filling and the Libby brand; it just takes me longer to put this dessert together.  I have been known to whip up a pan of these Friday night and have them disappear by Saturday afternoon. Be warned, these things are addictive! Ingredients: 3 cups of all-purpose flour 2 cups of granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 sticks of

Samosas with Yogurt Sauce

I love exploring many kinds of cuisine in my kitchen because I can control the spice level, and in the case of this recipe, the use of cilantro. Cilantro lovers out there- sub it info the parsley here. I have the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, which limits my ability to enjoy some dishes in restaurants, but is easily rectified in my own kitchen. I hope you enjoy! Ingredients:  3 russet potatoes 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons curry powder 5 ounces peas Six 8 inch flour tortillas 4 ounces Greek yogurt Oil, salt, pepper, vinegar 4 tablespoons butter Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Scrub potatoes and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over high; uncover and cook until tenderDrain potatoes and transfer to a bowl.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in reserved saucepan over medium. Add chopped garlic and al