Sunday, March 8, 2015

Grilled Lemon Tilapia with coconut rice and Green Mango Salad

I haven't  blogged for a while, ok perhaps two years or more, but in order to get back to it, I will start doing it from my phone.  Let's  hope this works so I can keep it up!

GRILLED LEMON TILAPIA (2 pax)
1 cleaned whole Tilapia (I got a rather big one)
2 lemons (1 cut in lemon slices and the other in lemon wedges for serving)
15ml white wine
30ml olive oil
30 gr butter
2 crushed garlic cloves
A small bunch of parsley
A sprinkle  of cayenne pepper
Sea salt black pepper to taste

How to make it? Make 3-4 cuts on each side of the tilapia across its body and insert half a lemon slice on each cut. Rub it with about 20ml olive oil and sprinkle with salt, freshly grounded black pepper and cayenne pepper.
Place on the grill once it is at about medium heat to ensure the fish skin gets crunchy while it gets to cook fully on the inside. Put the rest of he olive oil, garlic, parsley, butter and wine in a small bowl and melt it in the microwave (should be about 15 seconds). Once the basting is ready brush it on the fish and turn, you should leave the fish about 4-5 mins on each side before basting it and turning again, repeating this about 4 times for a total  cooking time of about 20 mins. Depending on the level of heat  of your grill and how big the fish is it may take 15 or 25 mins instead (it took 20 minutes in our lotus grill at medium heat),  so just keep and eye on the cuts and pick a try to check for readiness.

COCONUT RICE (2 pax)
1 cup rice
2 tbps dessicated coconut
1 tbps coconut oil/vegetable oil
1 tbps sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1.5  cups water
Salt to taste

How to make it? Melt the oil in rice pot and pan fry the coconut, on medium heat add the sugar  and do not stir  until it begins to melt and turn golden, add a few drops of water and stir. Turn the heat to high and add the rest of the water and coconut milk and bring to boil. Rinse the rice to make it less starchy and add into the pot, season with salt.
Let the pot boil until the rice begins to dry, once you can start to see the top rice layer, bring down to low temperature, cover with  a lid and let it finish drying for about 5-7 more mins.

MANGO SALAD
1/2 Green-to-ripe Mango
8 cocktail or mini italian tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1 lemon
1 tbps white vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make it? Peel the mango and take two big slices from each side, then cut into finer slices. Cut the tomatoes in halves, the onion in fine slices and then finely chop the coriander leaves. Place all ingredients into a bowl with the juice of the lemon, mix and serve.