Tilapia can be easily prepared into many different dishes, especially fried dishes, which go very well with rice. Today, TasteVN will introduce you to 2 simple ways to make fried tilapia with lemongrass and chili at home. Start cooking right away!
1. Fried tilapia with lemongrass and chili
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Fried tilapia with lemongrass and chili For 2 people
Tilapia 2 fish Accompanying vegetables A little (lettuce/ herbs/ perilla) Lemongrass 2 stalks Chili 1 piece Garlic 3 cloves Lemon 1/2 fruit Cooking oil 200 ml Fish sauce A little Common spices A little (salt/ sugar/ ground pepper)
Ingredient image
How to prepare Fried Tilapia with Lemongrass and Chili
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Prepare the ingredients
To eliminate the fishy smell of tilapia, after purchasing, wash it thoroughly and remove the black membrane inside. Use a knife to make 2 – 3 slits on the back of the fish to let the seasoning absorb evenly.
Smash the lemongrass and chop it finely. Cut two sections about 3 – 4 finger lengths from the top, then slice them vertically for decoration.
Chop the chili and garlic finely, and set aside.
Aromatic herbs should have damaged leaves removed, soak in salt water, then rinse with clean water and drain.
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Marinate the fish
Place the prepared fish in a suitable plate, add the chopped lemongrass and 1/3 of the chopped chili.
Add ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce, and mix well. At this point, use your hands to massage the seasoning evenly into the fish.
Tip: To ensure the seasoning absorbs evenly, stuff the chopped lemongrass and seasoning into the fish’s belly.Set the fish aside and wait for 20 minutes to let the seasoning soak in.
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Fried Fish
Place the pan on the stove, turn on medium heat, add about 200ml of cooking oil, making sure the oil is enough to submerge half of the fish.
After the pan with oil is hot, turn off the heat, add the sliced lemongrass from earlier, stir continuously until golden brown, then remove and place on a plate for decoration.
Continue to turn up the heat, wait for the oil to boil, then gradually add the fish to fry on high heat for 10 – 15 minutes. During the frying process, remember to flip both sides evenly and check frequently to prevent the fish from burning.
When the fish is golden on both sides, take it out onto a plate, sprinkle the fried lemongrass on top of the fish, and it’s done.
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Prepare Dipping Sauce
Mix fish sauce with the ratio: 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1.5 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Note: To make the fish sauce tastier, mix the lime juice and sugar first, then add the fish sauce later to adjust according to your family’s taste for the best result!Add garlic and minced chili, then stir well.
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Finished Product
The fish is evenly cooked, the skin is golden, crispy, not burnt, and it releases the aroma of lemongrass when eaten. The dipping sauce blends the flavors of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet, making it incredibly appealing.
The dish is served with hot rice and various herbs prepared in advance. Additionally, you can combine it with rice paper and add different herbs according to your family’s taste.
2. Fried Tilapia with Salt, Lemongrass, and Chili
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Preparation
25 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Fried Tilapia with Salt, Lemongrass, and Chili For 4 people
Tilapia 4 fish (About 800g) Lemongrass 5 stalks Chili 1 fruit Cooking oil 100 ml Salt 1 tablespoon MSG 1 teaspoon
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How to prepare Fried Salted Tilapia with Lemongrass and Chili
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Prepare the ingredients
Buy tilapia, clean the insides, scale the fish, rinse thoroughly with clean water a few times and let it drain. To allow the seasoning to soak evenly into the fish, use a knife to make diagonal cuts on the body of the fish. You can ask the seller to help clean the fish to save time.
Lemongrass and chili should be washed and finely chopped.
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Marinate the fish
Marinate the fish with 1 spoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and the finely chopped lemongrass and chili, then use your hands to evenly spread the seasoning on each cut of the fish, and let it sit for about 15 – 20 minutes for the seasoning to soak into the fish.
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Fried Tilapia with Lemongrass and Chili
Place a pan on the stove, add 100ml of cooking oil and heat it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish to fry, you should shake off all the lemongrass and chili sticking to the fish to avoid burning that would make the dish lose its flavor.
After 5 minutes when one side of the fish is cooked, use chopsticks to flip the fish and continue frying for about 4 – 5 more minutes, then turn off the heat and place the fish on a plate lined with paper towels.
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Completion
Add all the remaining lemongrass and chili into the oil pan where you just fried the fish to fry for about 2 minutes, then scoop it out and sprinkle it over the fish. That’s it, the dish is complete.
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Final Product
Fried salted tilapia with lemongrass and chili is completed with attractive colors and delicious, appealing flavors. The tilapia is crispy on the outside, soft and fragrant on the inside, with a savory and spicy taste that goes well with rice. After cooking, it should be eaten immediately to retain the fish’s crispiness and deliciousness.
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Tilapia
- You should choose live tilapia, with shiny scales, and fins spread out, as this indicates that the meat will be sweeter and tastier.
- In addition, look for tilapia that is plump, and when you squeeze the body, it should feel firm, with bright red gills and a balanced proportion between the head and the body.
- Avoid buying fish that are scratched, have peeling scales, pale gills, feel soft when touched, and have a strange smell, as the fish may have gone bad from being left out too long.
How to clean tilapia properly, without fishy smell
- Method 1: Soak the fish in diluted salt water or rice water for about 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and let it drain. For fish that has a strong fishy smell, use coarse salt to rub it well for about 3 minutes, then rinse clean, the fishy smell will be significantly reduced.
- Method 2: Use lemon juice or vinegar to rub the fish and then rinse it clean, which also helps to eliminate the fishy smell and makes the fish cleaner.
- Method 3: After cleaning, soak the fish in white alcohol for about 2 minutes, then take the fish out and dry it with paper towels, which will help effectively eliminate the smell.
How to buy fresh lemongrass
- You should choose lemongrass that has tightly packed stalks, with a white-greenish color, smooth texture, and a characteristic fragrant smell.
- Avoid choosing lemongrass with wilted leaves, stalks that are separated, and stalks that have tiny black spots from insect bites, and especially those that no longer have a fragrant smell.
Above is the recipe for making fried tilapia with lemongrass and chili that is fragrant, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, while retaining the fresh sweetness of the fish. A dish that is perfect for rainy days. You should try it right away, wish you success!
