How to Cook Tilapia Escabeche: A Spanish-Inspired Dish

I am a chef on a luxury world cruise liner. I love to cook and write recipes that are inspired by foods from all over the world.

Escabeche is a traditional Spanish dish that consists of fried fish with vegetables cooked in a sweet and tangy sauce. I first encountered this dish in the Philippines, which was once a colony of Spain. This dish was one of many Spanish recipes that were absorbed into the Filipino cuisine.

Chinese cuisine has its own version of escabeche, as well, which is known as sweet and sour.

Cook Time

Ingredients are at the ready.

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Ingredients

• 3 tilapia
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 small carrot, julienned
• 1/2 small onion, julienned
• 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Utensils

For Preparation:

• 1 large plate
• 1 small plate
• 1 medium bowl
• 3 small bowls
• chopping board
• knife

For Cooking:

• frying pan
• tongs
• spatula
• sauteing pan

Instructions

1. Wash and clean the fish. Drain water.
2. Rub salt on the surface of each fish. Set aside.
3. Heat up frying pan. Add enough oil for frying.
4. Fry each fish until it turns golden brown. Set aside.
5. Mix water and cornstarch. Set aside.
6. In a sauteing pan, add the ginger, onion, and garlic.
7. Add the vinegar, ketchup, sugar, salt, and pepper.
8. Pour in the cornstarch mixture or slurry. Let it simmer.
9. Add bell pepper and carrots. Cook the vegetables until tender.
10. Add cooked fish into the sauce. Allow it to simmer until sauce thickens.
11. Serve while still hot.

Step-by-Step Video

Tips and Techniques

• Replace tilapia with any other kind of fish available.
• Adjust sugar or vinegar as preferred.
• Familiarize yourself with the taste of vinegar you'll be using in order to balance the sour taste of the sauce.
• Use other thickening agents, such as all-purpose flour, potato starch, rice flour, etc.
• Serve escabeche sauce on top of the fish to maintain its crunchy texture.

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• How to Make Sinigang na Salmon Belly: A Filipino-Inspired Dish
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Comments

Travel Chef (author) from Manila on July 19, 2019:

Hi Liz,

Yes, you can use any kind of fish available in UK. I hope you could try this recipe and let me know how the result.

Liz Westwood from UK on July 17, 2019:

Tbis is a very tasty recipe. I appreciate its adaptability so that any fish can be used.