tilapia red thai curry

soul warming

I'm a big fan of all curries but my favourite go to is the red thai curry.  The tilapia held up really well in the sauce and soaks up the curry flavour beautifully.

what you need:

*serves 4

• 500 g tilapia
• 3 tbsp red thai curry paste (I've used Mae ploy and Aroy-D brands, both good!)
• 1 sweet potato
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• juice of 1 lime OR 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp naturally brewed soy sauce
• 240 mL coconut milk 
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 red thai chilli *optional
• 1 green onion
• 1 handful fresh cilantro

what to do:

1. Clean vegetables, peel, then dice into bite size pieces.  Roughly chop garlic.  Separate cilantro stems from leaves.  Finely slice green onion and keep it aside with the cilantro leaves for garnish later.  Finely slice red thai chilli (for less heat -  leave it whole BUT be sure to take it out before serving!).
2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat.  Add onions and red thai chilli and sauté for 2 minutes, then add garlic, carrots and sweet potato.  Stir, lightly browning, then add curry paste.
3. After 1-2 minutes of sautéing with curry paste, add coconut milk.  Fill empty coconut milk can with cold water and add to pot.  Add sugar, lime juice, soy sauce and cilantro stems.  Stir, then cover tightly with lid.  Allow to simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.
4. Cut tilapia into large chunks.  Season tilapia lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add to pot and bring heat up to medium and allow fish to simmer with the curry sauce for 8 minutes.
5. Once fish is cooked (white throughout) - curry is ready to be served.  Serve it over rice, and garnish with cilantro & green onions.  Enjoy!

ginger citrus tilapia with daikon & celery slaw

healthy and nutritious

After all the cheese and spice from the beef enchiladas, this week's dinners have been on the lighter and  fresher side:).  Last night's was particularly good, with lots of crunch from the daikon and celery, mild heat from ginger, tender baked fish, and roasted sweet potato and cauliflower as a side.  This meal came together in about 30 minutes and is super easy with minimal mess.

what you need:

*serves 4

• ~500 g tilapia
• 1/3 daikon (about 1 cup cut up)
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 small red onion
• salt and pepper

for the fish marinade:

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (easiest to grate frozen ginger)
• 1 tsp orange zest
• juice from one orange
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp canola oil (or any light tasting cooking oil)
• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

for slaw dressing:

• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• small pinch of salt and pepper

what to do:

1. Rinse fish and pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Combine fish marinade ingredients in a big bowl and place fish in; allow to marinate for about 20 minutes (in the fridge, but take it out 10 minutes prior to baking to bring it to room temperature before putting it in the oven).
2. Combine slaw dressing ingredients in a small sauce pan, bring to boil then turn low to simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until sauce is slightly reduced.
3. Prep veggies by cutting into approximately equal matchstick sizes (or, you can use a grater for a finer slaw).  Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to coat; allow flavours to marry in the fridge while you bake the fish.
4. Preheat oven to 400 F.
5. Line a baking dish with parchment paper which is long enough to have both ends come together to crinkle and fold.  Put marinaded fish in the dish, then roughly fold the ends together to form a loose package around the fish.  Bake in the middle rack for 12-15 minutes.  Fish is done when it no longer looks opaque and is white.
6. Serve fish hot with daikon & celery slaw on top.  Enjoy!