Fried whole tilapia with sweetened calamansi sauce

Turmeric? Well, without it, the sauce would be too pale to make it visually attractive. But aside from giving the sauce a lovely golden hue, turmeric is packed with flavor too.

The chili slices are added after cooking, allowing just a bit of heat to permeate the flesh of the fish when hot sauce is poured over it.

Why tilapia? It’s inexpensive and always available, it’s tasty and it’s one of my family’s favorite fish. Fry it, steam it, grill it — tilapia is simply delicious.

Fried whole tilapia with sweetened calamansi sauce

This is Asia so cooking fish with the head and tail intact is the rule rather than the exception. Leaving the fish whole results in a more moist flesh.

I understand that whole fish is not the norm in some cultures. And the most obvious question is whether fillets can be substituted. Sure, use fillets if you prefer them. The texture will not be the same but the dish will still taste and look fantastic.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: Sweet Sour, Tilapia

Servings: 2 people

Author: Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

• 1 large tilapia 600 to 700 grams
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or corn starch
• 2 to 3 cups cooking oil for deep frying

For the sauce

• ¼ cup calamansi juice
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 pinches turmeric powder

For the garnish

• 1 red finger chili finely sliced
• 3 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch lengths and finely sliced vertically

Instructions

• Score the tilapia diagonally across the back, on both sides, then rub all over with salt, including inside the cuts where the fish has been scored.
• Pour the calamansi juice into a pan. Add the sugar. Set over high heat and wait for the sugar to start caramelizing. DO NOT stir to avoid the formation of crystals. You may, however, swirl the pan.
• When the sugar has melted, add the salt and turmeric powder, lower the heat to medium and continue boiling gently until thickened. Do not allow the sauce to thicken so much as it thickens some more as it cools.
• In a wok or frying pan, heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of at least three inches.
• Sprinkle the tilapia with starch and slide into the hot oil. Flip halfway through for even cooking and browning.
• When the fish is done, transfer to a serving platter.
• Scatter the sliced chili and scallions on top.
• Pour the sauce directly over the chili slices and onion leaves.
• Serve the fried whole tilapia with sweetened calalamsi sauce and chili at once.