Sinabawang Isda With Tilapia

Sinabawang Isda is a Filipino fish dish prepared by simmering fish cutlets, tomatoes and kamote leaves in a sauce made by chicken broth cube, fish sauce, onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies and pepper. Sometimes even slices of unripe tamarind also added to add a tangy twist. Sinabawang Isda With Tilapia is not only a flavourful dish but also a nutritious choice. Tilapia is a lean fish that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Whether enjoyed on a rainy day or as a comforting weeknight dinner, Sinabawang Tilapia offers a taste of Filipino home cooking at its finest.

Sinabawang Isda Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo tilapia
• 1/4 cup calamansi juice
• 4 large tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 3 to 4 pieces whole green chilies
• 2 thumb ginger (sliced)
• 1 bunch kamote leaves
• fish sauce to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 to 5 cups water
• 1 piece chicken broth cube

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare tilapia. Remove the innards and the scales. Then, cut into serving slices and then transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle and rub salt on both sides. Set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a pan. Add the ginger, onions, garlic and tomatoes. Saute them for a few minutes until aromatic. Gently crush the tomatoes to extract the juices. Pour water and add the chicken broth cube. Season with black pepper. Cover the pot and bring the broth to a boil.
3. Once boiling, add the whole green chilies. Add the tilapia slices and submerge them in the broth. Be gentle when stirring to avoid crushing the fish. Cover the pot and let it simmer for a few minutes.
4. Do a taste test and adjust the taste using fish sauce. Add the calamansi juice. Lastly, add the camote leaves and submerge them in the broth to cook and soften.
5. Transfer the sinabawang tilapia to a serving bowl. Enjoy this as a soup or have it with a lot of hot steaming rice. Yum!

What is Tilapia

Tilapia is a type of freshwater fish that is widely consumed around the world. It belongs to the cichlid fish family and is native to various regions in Africa. However, due to its adaptability and favorable growth characteristics, tilapia is now cultivated in many countries, including the Philippines.

Tilapia is highly valued for its mild, white flesh and versatile culinary properties. It has become a popular choice for seafood dishes due to its relatively affordable price and wide availability. The fish has a firm texture and a subtle, delicate flavor that pairs well with a variety of seasonings and cooking methods.

In the Philippines, tilapia is a commonly consumed fish and holds a significant place in local cuisine. It is often used in traditional Filipino dishes such as sinigang (sour soup), grilled or fried preparations, and as an ingredient in various stews and sautéed dishes. Tilapia’s versatility makes it a versatile and accessible protein source in Filipino households.

Tilapia is also highly regarded for its nutritional value. It is a low-fat fish that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It provides essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and brain function.

Due to its mild taste, affordability, and nutritional benefits, tilapia has gained popularity as a sustainable and accessible seafood option worldwide. Its versatility in cooking and ability to adapt to different flavor profiles make it a favorite choice for many delicious and wholesome dishes.

Sinabawang Isda with Tilapia

Ever wanted light broth with a tangy and fresh hint? Then the sinabawang tilapia is the perfect dish for you.

Ever since I’ve tasted tilapia, I immediately know its my favorite. Its soft white flesh is what I exactly dreamed of when eating a fish. It’s large fishbones also made it more manageable and enjoyable to eat.

Among the various tilapia dishes, this sinabawang tilapia is one of the easiest and most affordable. This is my go to fish dish during the rainy season as it present a light but very soul warming effect. This soup is the most requested whenever my family got umay to all the dry and fried dishes. Having some soup alongside the tilapia can greatly make a difference and increases everyone’s appetite and enjoyment at the table.

If you wanna know how to make sinabawang tilapia at home, read and follow the easy steps below. Yum!

How to Cook Sinabawang Isda

Preparing the sinabawang tilapia is super easy and very flexible according to your taste. All you need is some tilapia and your favorite flavorings to make the broth.

Lets start with preparing the tilapia. Wash and prepare each tilapia by removing the innards, scales, and all unnecessary parts. I bough large tilapias for this recipe which is why I sliced them into serving portions. You can do the same of just buy smaller sizes of tilapia. Do a little salt rub on all pieces to unleash the natural flavors of the fish.

Our goal for the broth is almost similar to a sinigang dish but much lighter. For this recipe, we will only use natural ingredients. Start the broth by sauteing the basic aromatics. The most important part of the base is the tomatoes. I used 4 large tomatoes for this recipe but feel free  to use more if you like. Gently crush the tomatoes to extract all the juices. Add some water to have the broth. Season liberately before adding the slices of tilapia. Be gently when stirring as it may crush the fish. Alternatively, you can fry the tilapia a little before adding into the broth just to make the crust intact, lowering the chance of the fish getting crushed. Add some calamansi juice and fish sauce to balance the taste. Feel free to add veggies of your choice if you want.

Once all ingredients come together, the dish is ready. Enjoy this as a soup or enjoy this with a lot of hot steaming rice. Yum!

Sinabawang Isda Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 1 kilong tilapia
• 1/4 tasang calamansi juice
• 4 malalaking kamatis (hiniwa)
• 1 sibuyas (hiniwa)
• 3 butil ng bawang (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 3 – 4 pirasong siling haba
• 2 piraso ng luya (hiniwa)
• 1 tangkay ng dahon ng kamote
• asin at patis
• 1/2 kutsaritang paminta
• 4 – 5 tasa ng tubig
• 1 pc chicken broth cube

Paano Lutuin:

1. Hugasan at ihanda ang mga tilapia. Alisin ang lamang-loob at kaliskis. Pagkatapos, hiwain ito ng mga serving pieces at ilipat sa isang bowl. Budburan ang mga ito ng asin at pahiran ang lahat ng sides. Isantabi 

2. Magpainit ng konting mantika sa kawali. Ilagay ang luya, sibuyas, bawang, at kamatis. Igisa ang mga ito ng ilang minuto hanggang maging mabango. Medyo durugin ang mga kamatis para lumabas ang juices nito.  Ilagay na ang tubig at ang chicken broth cube. Timplahan ng konting paminta. Takpan ang kaldero at hintaying kumulo ang sabaw.

3. Kapag kumukulo na, ilagay ang mga siling haba.  Ilagay ang mga piraso ng tilapia at ilubog ang mga ito sa sabaw. Dahan dahan lang ang paghalo para hindi masira ang isda. Takpan ang kaldero at hayaang maluto ng ilang minuto.

4. Tikman ang sabaw at i-adjust ang lasa gamit ang patis. Ilagay na rin ang kalamansi juice. Huling ilagay ang mga dahon ng kamote at ilubog sa sabaw para maluto at lumambot.

5. Ilipat ang sinabawang tilapia sa serving bowl. Kainin ito bilang sabaw o ihain kasama ang mainit na kanin. Yum!