Indian Style Baked Tilapia
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds (680 g) tilapia fillets - 6 (4oz / 115g) or 4 (6oz / 170g) fillets, skinless - see Note A
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 inch piece of ginger - peeled
- 2 small green chilies - I use Thai/Birds eye (Note B)
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral oil you prefer
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice - fresh, not bottled, plus some extra lemon for serving
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder - optional, used for its red color, is mildly spicy
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt - regular white/table salt
- ¼ teaspoon garam malasa powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - or Indian red chili powder
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro - to garnish
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Tap the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Blend garlic, ginger, green chilies, cooking oil, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of water together in a blender until smooth.
- Transfer the paste to a bowl. Add in yogurt, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, garam masala powder and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and cut each into halves or thirds, depending on their size. Coat them all evenly with the prepared spice paste. Set the oven to 400°F (200°C), with the oven rack positioned in the center, and let the fish marinate while the oven preheats.
- Arrange the tilapia in a single layer in a baking dish/sheet. Don't overcrowd. Bake uncovered for 8 minutes. No need to flip the pieces mid-baking.
- Carefully move the fish to a higher rack (I use the second-from-top rack). Set your oven's broiler to 'high' and broil the fish for 6 to 10 minutes or until it gets nicely charred. Don't leave it unattended. You want the surface charred, not burnt, so keep an eye. Rotate the baking dish/sheet halfway through for even browning. Broiling time may vary depending on your oven type.
- To serve, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and sprinkle chopped cilantro. Enjoy with rice, naan or veggies/salad of your choice. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Notes
Note A: Tilapia – Fish fillets come in different sizes, so go by weight, not quantity, or you might end up with under- or over-seasoned fish.
Note B: Green Chilies – Adjust the amount of these depending on how spicy you like your food. Deseed them if you prefer. I wouldn’t leave them out completely as they contribute to the overall flavor. Feel free to use other varieties, but avoid thicker-walled peppers like jalapenos or serranos.