This Spicy Grilled Tilapia Recipe is filled with flavor! It includes tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions and scotch bonnets. Serve as a side.
Spicy Tilapia
I am so excited to share this delicious side! This fish is filled with fresh flavours and ingredients that make it a fishy, savoury, delight!
This dish is very popular in Africa. However, the tilapia is usually fried. In this recipe we took a healthier approach and used an oven to grill the tilapia instead.
Spicy Tilapia Recipe
- Tilapia fish – is the star of this recipe. Make sure you clean this fish well before you start cooking.
- Blended tomato mix – The spicy tilapia recipe has a tomato base. It includes 1 can of plum tomatoes, onions, red bell peppers and scotch bonnets. To make this base use a blender and make sure that the mixture is not smooth.
- Maggi – This is a popular chicken stock seasoning used in African cooking. There are different types but my favorite is Knorr chicken stock seasoning. I added 1 cube to this recipe.
- Fresh Vegetables – Add fresh, sliced onions and red bell peppers to this dish in the last 10 minutes to add a burst of flavor!
How to Clean and Prepare Tilapia
You can use frozen tilapia or fresh tilapia. If you are using frozen tilapia then allow it to thaw or soak it in salty water for 30 minutes to 1 hour if you are in a hurry.
Tilapia
- It is important to clean the tilapia before cooking because if you don’t the fish will have a bitter taste. Start by descaling each fish if it has not been done already. To descale a fish drag a knife or spoon against the opposite direction of the scales. You can do this in a sink to prevent mess.
- Next, use scissors to cut off the fins.
- Then, you will need to chop each tilapia into 4-5 pieces and remove any excess blood and guts from each piece. Rub salt on the inside and outside of each piece to clean it thoroughly and rinse with water. Next, you have the option to soak the tilapia pieces in water and add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar for 5 minutes. This will make the fish more tender and help it hold it’s shape when the tilapia is cooked.
- If you are including the head of the tilapia, then you will need to do some deep cleaning! Dis-join underneath the mouth of the fish and remove the gill. Then, follow the previous steps used to clean each tilapia piece.
- Finally, add the tilapia pieces to a bowl and season with salt to taste. Then, leave tilapia pieces to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Spicy Grilled Tilapia Recipe
- Preheat oven at 200°C fan/180°C/ Gas 6/400°F. Lightly, grease a baking tray with vegetable or sunflower oil. Add the tilapia pieces to the tray and drizzle oil on top of each piece. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until dry and brown in color.
- Meanwhile, add 1 can of plum tomato, 1 large chopped onion, 2-3 scotch bonnets, 2 chopped red bell peppers, and pulse for 2-3 times. The consistency should not be smooth.
- Once, the fish is ready remove it from the oven and set it aside. Then, heat vegetable oil in a pan, add 1/2 of a sliced onion then pour in the tomato mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.
- Next, season the sauce with 1 Knorr chicken stock seasoning cube, salt to taste, 2 tsp of tomato puree (optional) and stir. Then, cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, add the grilled tilapia pieces to the sauce and cover each piece with the tomato sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Finally, add 1/2 of a thinly sliced onion, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with fresh green herbs of your choice and enjoy!
Alternatives
- Traditionally, the baked tilapia should be quite dry. However, if you prefer a moister fish then bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour instead.
- You can alter the heat of this recipe by adding more or less scotch bonnets. For example, use 1 scotch bonnet to lower the heat.
- Additionally, you can swap the tilapia with different types of fish. E.g. croaker, red sea brim and snapper.
How to Serve Spicy Grilled Tilapia
This dish can be served in different ways. It can be served as a starter/appetizer with dundun and plantain. It can also be served as the main protein with jollof rice, fried rice, asaro (yam porridge) or white rice. Finally, for a healthy alternative serve this spicy tilapia with vegetables.
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Spicy Grilled Tilapia Recipe
This spicy grilled tilapia recipe is filled with flavour! It includes, tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions and scotch bonnets. Serve as a side.
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Servings: 5 people
Ingredients
- 2 Tilapia (cleaned and chopped) see notes
- 2 onions
- 3 red bell peppers
- 2-3 scotch bonnets
- 1 can of plum tomatoes
- 2 tsp of tomato puree (optional)
- 1 knorr chicken seasoning cube
- Salt to taste
- A splash of vegetable/sunflower oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 200°C fan/180°C/ Gas 6/400°F. Lightly, grease a baking tray with vegetable or sunflower oil. Add the tilapia pieces to the tray and drizzle oil on top of each piece. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until dry and brown in colour.
- Meanwhile, add 1 can of plum tomato, 1 large chopped onion, 2-3 scotch bonnets, 2 chopped red bell peppers, and pulse for 2-3 times. The consistency should not be smooth.
- Once, the fish is ready remove it from the oven and set aside. Then, heat vegetable oil in a pan, add 1/2 of a sliced onion then pour in the tomato mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat.
- Next, season the sauce with 1 Knorr chicken stock seasoning cube, salt to taste, 2 tsp of tomato puree (optional) and stir. Then, cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, add the grilled tilapia pieces to the sauce and cover each piece with the tomato sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Finally, add 1/2 of a thinly sliced onion, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with fresh green herbs of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
Tilapia
- It is important to clean the tilapia before baking because if you don’t the fish will have a bitter taste. Start by descaling each fish if it has not been done already. To descale a fish drag a knife or spoon against the opposite direction of the scales. You can do this in a sink to prevent mess.
- Next, use scissors to cut off the fins.
- Then, you will need to chop each tilapia into 4-5 pieces and remove any excess blood and guts from each piece. Rub salt on the inside and outside of each piece to clean it thoroughly and rinse with water. Next, you have the option to soak the tilapia pieces in water and add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar for 5 minutes. This will make the fish more tender and help it hold it’s shape while cooking.
- If you are including the head of the tilapia, then you will need to do some deep cleaning! Dis-join underneath the mouth of the fish and remove the gill. Then, follow the previous steps used to clean each tilapia piece.
- Finally, add the tilapia pieces to a bowl and season with salt to taste. Then, leave tilapia pieces to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
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