This article was co-authored by Elsie Glasu-Atunuwa. Elsie Glasu-Atunuwa is a West African Chef and the Founder of Trices Cafe and Lounge in San Antonio, Texas. Elsie learned to cook from her mother, using only the finest ingredients to create great flavors. Her mother’s training and her own imagination allow her to create delicious traditional West African dishes to satisfy customers, friends, family, and colleagues. Her team specializes in serving dishes from Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroun. They also offer catering for all occasions. Elsie studies General Science and holds a doctorate degree in Nursing from Grand Canyon University.
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The Luo People of Kenya refer to tilapia as brain food and give it credit for their high intelligence. It is mildly flavored and cooks quickly, perfect for a Southern-Style fish fry. Add collard greens, potato or macaroni salad, cornbread and sweet iced tea and your fish fry meal is complete. Who knew you could enjoy a southern fish fry and increase brain activity at the same time?
Ingredients
- 16 oz tilapia
- 2 tbsps (30 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup (20 g) white flour
- 1 tsp (5 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 4 16 oz tilapia fillets
- 1 quart cooking oil (or Crisco)
- 1 1/2 cups (145 g) seasoned flour
Steps
Pan-Fried
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1Pat dry the tilapia with a paper towel. This, of course, is after you've rinsed it under cold water.[1]
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2Place flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bag. Mix it up thoroughly to distribute the flavors. If you have more than one fillet, adjust the recipe as necessary.Advertisement
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3Add fish and shake to coat. Once it's adequately covered, shake off any excess.[2]
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4Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. You may use other oils, but olive oil is tasty and one of the healthier oils.
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5Add floured fillets to the skillet. Pan fry for two minutes on each side or until cooked through.[3]
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6Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. It'll be ready by the time you grab plates and silverware.
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7Serve hot with side dishes and tartar or hot pepper sauce.
Deep-Fried
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1Heat the oil in a 3 or 4-quart pan to at least 375° F (190°C). Just a couple of drops of water flipped off your hand will really crackle when the oil has reached this heat level.[4]
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2Roll the dry and thawed fish in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and let the fillets sit on a rack or on wax paper for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll the fillets in the flour a second time. As before, shake off the excess flour. Now they're ready for the pan!
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3Deep fry those bad boys. No more than 2 at a time, however. Frying more than 2 fillets at once drives down the oil temperature which will make the fish and coating soggy. Turn once in the pan after a minute or so and remove when golden brown.[5]
- They should be done in under 4 minutes; white and flaky inside at the thickest section of the fillet. Do not overcook!
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4Drain each fillet on paper towels for a few seconds and serve immediately. Garnish with sauces and sides for taste and presentation.
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5Finished.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat can you season tilapia with?
Elsie Glasu-AtunuwaElsie Glasu-Atunuwa is a West African Chef and the Founder of Trices Cafe and Lounge in San Antonio, Texas. Elsie learned to cook from her mother, using only the finest ingredients to create great flavors. Her mother’s training and her own imagination allow her to create delicious traditional West African dishes to satisfy customers, friends, family, and colleagues. Her team specializes in serving dishes from Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroun. They also offer catering for all occasions. Elsie studies General Science and holds a doctorate degree in Nursing from Grand Canyon University.
West African ChefGinger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt are all great seasoning options for tilapia fillets. -
QuestionHow should I use lemon on tilapia?The best way to use lemon on tilapia is to squeeze it on after you've finished frying it. However, if you prefer a bit of caramelization on your fish, you can put it on after you've fried one side.
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QuestionHow long do I fry fish if it is frozen?It's not feasible to try to coat frozen fish, so to follow these recipes you need to thaw it first. However, you can put a little water in the pan, make sure you have a tight lid, and steam the plain frozen fish. When the flesh flakes apart easily with a fork, it's done.
Warnings
- When oil is hot, it burns. Be careful.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
Pan-Fried
- Skillet
- Tongs
- Bag
- Paper towels
Deep-Fried
- Deep pan or skillet
- Tongs
- Paper towels
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about pan frying tilapia, check out our in-depth interview with Elsie Glasu-Atunuwa.
References
- ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/201934/pan-seared-tilapia/
- ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pan-fried-tilapia-dijon-mayo
- ↑ https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25137966/pan-fried-tilapia-recipe/
- ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/uncle-bills-deep-fried-tilapia-fish-396423
- ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/fried-tilapia/16325/
- http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/pan-fried-tilapia-recipe/index.html
- http://www.fatsecret.com/recipes/pan-fried-tilapia/Default.aspx
- http://www.food.com/recipe/deep-fried-tilapia-fish-226300
About This Article
To pan-fry a tilapia fish fillet, mix some flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bag. Then, drop your fillet into the seasoning mix and shake it up. Next, heat some olive oil in your skillet. Once the skillet is hot, pan fry the floured fillet for 2 minutes on each side. After you remove the fish from the heat, place it on a paper towel to absorb the oil. For tips on how to deep-fry tilapia, keep reading!
