Fish Escabeche

Fish escabeche is a flavorful dish made of crispy fried fish and sweet and tangy sauce made of vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. The sauce often incorporates colorful vegetables like bell peppers and carrots, giving the dish a visually appealing and vibrant appearance. Fish Escabeche is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a hearty family dinner or a special gathering with friends.

Fish Escabeche Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large tilapia (or any fish)
• 1 medium onion (sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 thumb ginger (minced)
• 1 small carrot (sliced)
• red and green bell peppers (sliced)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• oil for frying

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare the tilapia. Remove the scales, fins, innards and gills. Make some slits and then rub both sides with salt.
2. Place the cornstarch in a flat plate. Dredge the tilapia in cornstarch until well coated. Shake mildly to remove the excess starch.
3. Heat a lot of oil in a pot using medium heat. Place the tilapia in and fry until golden brown and crispy. Flip to cook the other side. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, banana ketchup, sugar, salt, pepper, cornstarch and water. Mix well and make sure that there are no lumps. Set aside.
5. Heat a little oil in a pan. Add the garlic, ginger and onions. Saute them for a few minutes until aromatic. Add the carrots and bell pepper strips and saute for a whole minute.
6. Add the sauce and then let it cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Then, stir a bit before turning the heat off.
7. Transfer the fried tilapia to a serving plate. Pour the escabeche sauce and garnish with chopped spring onions. Enjoy the fish escabeche with some hot steaming rice. Yum!

What is Escabeche?

The term “escabeche” originated from the Arabic word “al-sikbaj,” which referred to a sweet and sour sauce used in medieval Arabic cuisine. This culinary technique and sauce were introduced to Spain during the Moorish occupation, and from there, it spread to various parts of the world, including the Philippines.

In Filipino cuisine, “escabeche” typically refers to a dish featuring fried fish or meat, which is then smothered in a sweet and sour sauce made from vinegar, sugar, and other flavorings like soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The sauce often incorporates colorful vegetables like bell peppers and carrots, giving the dish a visually appealing and vibrant appearance.

Escabeche is known for its harmonious blend of sweet and sour flavors, making it a beloved and iconic dish in Filipino cooking. It showcases the rich culinary heritage of the Philippines, which has been influenced by various cultures and cuisines over the centuries.

Fish Escabeche

Fish escabeche is one of those dishes that’s close to my heart. It one of the earliest dishes I learned from my mom as I really love exploring with sauces when I was a child.

If China has their sweet and sour sauce, the Philippines have the escabeche sauce. Almost similar in flavors but the escabeche sauce uses local ingredients, especially the ketchup.

Even as a family, we still have our own food preferences. What I love most about the fish escabeche is that it can cater both thise who like their tilapia crispy with just a dipping escabeche sauce, and for those who want it saucy where the fish swims in escabeche sauce.

If you wanna know how to make fish escabeche, read and follow the simple steps below. Happy cooking!

How to Cook Fish Escabeche

Escabeche is a very flexible dish you can try with different protein sources. In this recipe, we will be using one of my favorite fish, tilapia. The most important part of this dish is the sweet, sour and tangy orange sauce.

Start by getting the freshest tilapia. They are mist available during early morning. You may ask the seller to clean them out for you or just clean them at home. Make sure to remove the scales, fins, innards, and gills, then give it a good salt rub and make some slits for flavor penetration. Since the fish and sauce can be served separately, feel free to rub other seasonings you like to the fish.

 Next, coat the tilapia in cornstarch, ensuring an even layer, and shake off any excess starch. This hack prevents oil splattering. In a pot with medium-heated oil, fry the tilapia until it achieves a beautiful golden crispiness on both sides. Set them aside to prepare the scrumptious escabeche sauce.

Escabeche sauce is a super easy sauce to make. All you need to do is gather the ingredients and then combine them. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, banana ketchup, sugar, salt, pepper, cornstarch, and water, ensuring a lump-free mixture. If you want a more vibrant color, you can add annatto powder for coloring.

In a separate pan, sauté garlic, ginger, and onions until aromatic, then add carrots and bell pepper strips for a minute. Pour in the prepared sauce and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes without stirring. This is to allow the stong smell of the vinegar to evaporate first. Skipping this step will cause the bitter taste of the vinegar to scatter.

The fried tilapia and escabeche sauce are both ready. You can serve them separately to keep the fish crispy, or add the fried tilapia to the pan with escabeche sauce for the fish to sip in the flavors.

Finally, transfer the fried tilapia to a serving plate, pour the delightful escabeche sauce over it, and garnish with chopped spring onions. Your Fish Escabeche is ready to be savored with a steaming plate of rice. Yum!

Fish Escabeche Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 2 malalaking tilapia
• 1 pirasong sibuyas (hiniwa)
• 2 butil ng bawang (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1 thumb ng luya (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1 maliit na carrot (hiniwa)
• Red at green bell peppers (hiniwa)
• 1/2 tasa ng tubig
• 2 kutsarang toyo
• 3 kutsarang ketchup
• 2 kutsarang asukal
• 1/2 kutsaritang asin
• 1/4 kutsaritang paminta
• 2 kutsarang suka
• 2 kutsaritang cornstarch
• mantika pang-prito

Paano lutuin:

1. Hugasan at ihanda ang tilapia. Alisin ang mga kaliskis, palikpik, at lamang-loob. Lagyan  g hiwa ang katawan ng isda saka pahiran ng asin ang parehong gilid.

2. Ilagay ang cornstarch sa isang flat na plato. Balutan ang tilapia sa cornstarch. Medyo ishake ito ng konti para matanggal ang sobrang cornstarch.

3. Magpainit ng maraming mantika sa kawali gamit ang medium na apoy. I-prito ang tilapia hanggang maging golden brown at crispy. Baliktarin para maluto ang kabilang side. Ilipat sa isang lalagyan at isantabi.

4. Sa isang maliit na bowl, paghaluin ang suka, toyo, ketchup, asukal, asin, paminta, cornstarch, at tubig. I-mix nang mabuti at siguruhing walang buo. Isantabi.

5. Magpainit ng konting mantika sa isang kawali. Ilagay ang bawang, luya, at sibuyas. Igisa ang mga ito ng ilang minuto hanggang maging mabango. Ilagay ang mga carrot at bell pepper strips at gisahin ng isang minuto.

6. Idagdag ang ginawang sauce at hayaang maluto ng 2-3 minuto. Wag muna hahaluin. Pagkatapos, haluin nang kaunti bago patayin ang apoy.

7. Ilipat ang pritong tilapia sa serving plate. Ibuhos ang escabeche sauce at lagyan ng hiniwang spring onions. Enjoyin ang fish escabeche kasama ang mainit na kanin. Yum!