Tilapia gets a bad rap in my opinion, and there are probably reasons why. They get a bad rap for many reasons, however being surrounded by many Filipino family members, tilapia seems to be the default fish of choice, and probably for many reasons. But to be honest, it’s a fish that we tend to enjoy, whether it be baked, fried, grilled, or even put into a soup. Â So recently I purged some items in our freezer, and tilapia was one of those items. I decided to come up with something new, yet something familiar for the family to try. Baked tilapia in a red curry sauce.
I knew all of my kids loved fish, and many of us love the red curry and coconut curry that I often make with chicken, vegetables, and rice. So this tilapia dish was not stretching too far from the meal rotation.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients:
- 6 skinless tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp red curry paste (use more if you desire a bit more heat)
- 14 oz can of coconut milk
- large handful of fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup pearl onions, optional
- salt, to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 lime, juiced
This dish is a one skillet recipe, which is nice not only for the cooking process, but also for the cleanup.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
During this time, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the oil, and then add in the curry paste. Use a wooden spoon and mix in that curry paste, breaking it down. Take in the aroma. I love that aroma. Add in the coconut milk and continue to break in the curry paste.
During this time, season the tilapia filets with a bit of salt and pepper and place into the oven to cook for about 10 minutes.
Once the sauce comes to a simmer, remove the fillets from the oven and add the fillets to the sauce.
Toss in the green beans and the pearl onions.
Give a gentle mix, then move the skillet into the oven to finish cooking, about 5-10 minutes. This will allow the fish to fully cook, and thicken up the sauce a bit.
Remove, plate, and squeeze on the fresh lime juice. Enjoy!