Baked Tilapia

Baked Tilapia for Friday Lent Dinner. Photos by SDeluz

Tilapia go by many names. The moniker "St. Peter's fish" comes from the story in the Christian Bible about the apostle Peter catching a fish that carried a coin in its mouth, though the passage does not name the fish. While the name also applies to Zeus faber, a marine fish not found in the area, a few tilapia species (Sarotherodon galilaeus galilaeus and others) are found in the Sea of Galilee, where the author of the Gospel of Matthew accounts the event took place. These species have been the target of small-scale artisanal fisheries in the area for thousands of years. In some Asian countries including the Philippines, large tilapia go by pla-pla while the smaller types are just tilapia.

I just love tilapia because there's not much fish bones as compared to other fish product. This is a simple recipe I made in lieu of grilling when its not possible to do it outside due to cold weather.

Ingredients:

1 large tilapia

1 big tomato (chopped small)

1 big onion (chopped small)

pepper

salt

soya sauce

1/4 cup chili sauce

lemon

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven at 250deg C.

2. Clean tilapia and pat dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a bowl, mix together the chopped tomato, onions and a little bit of salt and pepper. Put inside the belly of tilapia.

4. Place tilapia in a pyrex pan. Pour soya sauce on all crevices. Squeeze the lemon on tilapia and take out the seeds.

5. Pour the chili sauce on top. 

6. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Then lower temp to 225 deg C for 15 minutes.

7. Serve with rice. 

Note: No need to make a soy dip coz tilapia will come out saucy.