Grilled Jamaican Jerk Tilapia Packets

If you're in the mood for a Caribbean meal, then this grilled tilapia dish is sure to please. You
can adjust the spiciness of this dish by omitting the poblano pepper.

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

 4 tilapia fillets, about 6 ounces

 1 cup white onion, chopped

 1 cup red or orange bell pepper, julienned

 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 3 tablespoons olive oil

 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

 3 tablespoons Jerk Seasoning

 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 salt and black pepper

 4 large pieces of aluminum foil

Preparation:

Preheat grill medium high heat. Place one piece of tilapia in each piece of foil. Combine,
garlic, olive oil, cilantro, lemon juice, and jerk seasoning in a small bowl. Brush well with
mixture on both sides of fish. Place equal portions of onion, bell pepper, and poblano on each
piece of fish. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Crimp edges of foil over and seal
packets well. Place on grill and cook for 10 minutes, turn, and cook for a remaining ten.
When Fish no longer appears opaque and vegetables become tender, remove from heat.
Allow packets to stand for 5 minutes before opening.
Lime & Basil Tilapia

The combination of lime and basil really adds flavor to the Tilapia. This dish can either be
eaten along with grilled vegetables or sliced and served in tacos.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients:

 4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound)

 1/4 cup olive oil

 2 tablespoons lime juice

 zest of 2 limes

 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced

 2 teaspoons bourbon

 1 teaspoon salt

 pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for the tilapia fillets in a resealable plastic bag. Turn to mix
and add tilapia fillets. Seal and refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat grill. Pour marinade into a
saucepan. Bring marinade to a low boil and remove from heat. Grill tilapia fillets for about 3
minutes per side over a high heat. When fish turns opaque remove from grill and serve with a
few spoonfuls of marinade drizzled over top.

African Tilapia

This Tilapia is grilled hot while it is basted in a lightly flavored marinade.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

 2 pounds tilapia fillets

 1 cup vegetable oil

 1 small onion, chopped

 1 bell pepper, chopped

 juice of 1 lemon

 1 tablespoon vinegar
  2 teaspoons cayenne or red pepper flakes

 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for the tilapia. Mix well until the salt is dissolved. Place
tilapia in a glass dish and cover with marinade. Turn to coat and set aside for 20 minutes.
Preheat grill. Pour marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to cool. Grill tilapia
fillets of a medium high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the fish flakes easily
and has an even appearance all the way through. Serve by pouring a small amount of the
sauce over the tilapia fillets.

Recipe for Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta

This tilapia recipe was featured in the George Foreman weight-loss web show, Knock Out the
Fat With George. It uses smoked paprika, a staple in Spanish cuisine. According to George
Foreman, a serving of this recipe contains 442 calories, 9.7 grams of fat, 40 grams of protein
and 4.1 grams of fiber. The contestants on the show used two of the newest George Foreman
grills, the G-Broil and the 360, but you can use any indoor grill for this tilapia recipe. The
recipe is used with permission from George Foreman.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

 ****For Polenta****
  4 cups fat-free milk

 1 cup quick-cooking polenta

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

 ****For Fish****

 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets

 Cooking spray

Preparation:

1. To prepare polenta, bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually add polenta,
stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes or until thick,
stirring constantly; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese; cover
and keep warm.

2. To prepare the fish, heat a large nonstick grill. Combine oil, paprika, garlic powder,
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl, stirring well. Rub fish evenly with oil mixture.
Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to grill; cook 4 minutes or until fish flakes
easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

This recipe for Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta serves 4 people.

Spicy Tilapia with Aioli

This is a great recipe for tilapia. This fish is loaded with flavor and quite similar to tilapia
dishes found in restaurants.
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

 2 pounds tilapia fillets

 2 tablespoon chili powder

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 teaspoon onion powder

 1 teaspoon cumin

 For the Aioli:

 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

 6 cloves of garlic, minced

 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

 1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

Preparation:

Prepare aioli by combining all aioli ingredients in a bowl, mixing and then refrigerate until
you are ready for it.

Preheat grill. Combine spices for fish and sprinkle over both sides of the tilapia fillets. Place
on hot grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes over a medium high heat. Turn once during
grilling. Serve with Aioli.
Orange-Ginger Tilapia

Tilapia is an excellent fish for grilling. If you've never tried grilling a whole fish, you really
should take a crack at this recipe. It is certain to impress.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

 4 whole small tilapia, boned

 1 orange, sliced

 1/2 cup plain yogurt

 1/2 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

 1/4 cup mayonnaise

 4 tablespoons olive oil

 2 tablespoons orange rind

 2 tablespoons orange juice

 2 tablespoons ginger root, chopped

 1 tablespoon lime juice

 salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, with orange rind, orange juice, ginger root
and 1/4 cup coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Spray 4 large pieces of aluminum foil
with cooking spray and place on fish in the center of each. Divide orange mixture in 4ths and
spoon into the body of each fish. Add 2 slices of the orange inside the fish. Wrap tightly and
place on preheated grill. Grill over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until fish is done.
Meanwhile combine yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, remaining olive oil and remaining
coriander in a bowl. When fish are done remove from grill and unwrap. Be careful of the hot
steam. Place on plate and pour 1/4th of the sauce over each fish.

Ngege (Tilapia) with Groundnut Sauce

Ngege (Oreochromis esculentus, a kind of Tilapia) is commonly consumed throughout

Africa's great lakes region. Lake Victoria was a famous source of Ngege until the Nile Perch
was introduced and drove the Ngege to near-extinction (many Lake Victoria cichlids suffered
the same fate). This is another of Africa's many Peanut Sauce recipes, similar to Central
Africa's Fried Fish in Peanut Sauce.

What you need

 salt and black pepper, to taste

 one cup cooking oil

 whole tilapia (one per person), one to two pounds each; cleaned (or tilapia fillets, or any
fish)

 one or two onions, finely chopped

 one-half cup of peanut butter (natural, unsweetened) or a homemade groundnut paste

made by grinding fresh roasted peanuts

 one spoonful of curry powder (or any similar spice or spices)

What you do

 If using whole fish: Cut two or three slits into each side of the fish; rub salt and pepper into
the slits and on the side of the fish.
If using fillets: Rub salt and pepper onto the fillets.
  Heat oil in deep frying pan until very hot. Fry fish in hot oil, one side at a time, until fish is
browned and crispy, turning once. Reduce heat and cover. Allow fish to cook a few more
minutes until it is done. Remove fish from pan. Place fish in covered dish in warm oven.

 Increase heat under frying pan. Fry the onions in the same pan, until fully cooked. Remove
onions and place them over the fish. Reduce heat.

 Add peanut butter and curry powder (or other spices) to frying pan. Mix well with remaining
oil. Reduce heat to very low. Slowly stir in enough water (about a cup) to make a smooth
sauce.

 Pour sauce over fish and onions. Serve with Ugali or Rice.

Variations: include tomatoes, green pepper, hot chile pepper, and/or garlic when frying the
onion.

Grilled Tilapia

Many species of Tilapia are native to the lakes and rivers of Africa, where it is often called
Ngege. Outside of Africa, Tilapia is called St. Peter’s Fish. Tilapia is best known for being
easy to raise and harvest in man-made ponds. (They reproduce and grow quickly, are disease-
resistant, and omnivorous.) Tilapia aquaculture has become common all over the world in the
last few decades, but was first practiced in Egypt and Israel in ancient times. In Africa, both
farm-raised and wild tilapia are commonly eaten. Tilapia could be substituted in most of the
fish recipes in The Congo Cookbook. Tilapia grilling over a charcoal fire is a common sight
in African kitchens and on African streets. For this recipe, use a charcoal grill if possible, if
not, resort to the oven broiler.

What you need

 one cup vegetable oil

 salt

 red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or African Hot Sauce (to taste)
  juice of one lemon

 one onion, finely chopped

 one sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), finely chopped

 one spoonful of vinegar

 whole tilapia (one per person), one to two pounds each; cleaned (or tilapia fillets)

What you do

 In a glass bowl or baking dish, combine all the ingredients except the fish. (For the simplest
recipe, use only the oil, salt, red pepper, and lemon juice.) Stir until everything is well mixed.

 Cut three slits across each fish on both sides, rub the oil and spice mixture onto and into the
fish. The fish can be allowed to marinate in the bowl if desired (twenty minutes to an hour
should be enough).

 Cook the fish over a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill (a grill basket made to hold fish while
grilling is very helpful), or broil in the oven, turning once or twice.

 Serve with an African Hot Sauce.

Mchuzi wa Samaki (Fish Curry)

One of many traditional Swahili fish dishes from Zanzibar island. Samaki is the Swahili word
for fish and mchuzi means curry (or gravy, sauce, soup). A fish curry from Zanzibar shouldn't
come as a surprise, since Zanzibar is an African island in the Indian Ocean.

What you need

 three or four pounds of firm-fleshed fish (a cleaned whole fish or serving-size fish fillets)

 oil for frying

  one to two cups of coconut milk (canned is okay, see the note about coconut milk on the
Wali wa Nazi recipe page)

 one large onion, chopped

 two or three tomatoes, chopped

 one or two sweet green peppers (or bell peppers), chopped

 ten cloves of garlic, minced

 one or two teaspoons of garam masala or curry powder

 tamarind paste or powder, to taste (this is essential)

 salt

What you do

 Briefly fry fish in hot oil (or cook on an outdoor grill or broil in an oven) so that the outside is
seared, but the fish is not done inside. Place fish in saucepan, cover in coconut milk and add
tamarind. Set aside.

 Vigorously stir together the onion, tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, and spices. Add to the
fish and coconut milk.

 Simmer slowly on low heat until fish is fully cooked and sauce is thickened. Serve with
Chapati or Rice.

 You can also make Mchuzi wa Kamba, (Shrimp Curry), by substituting an equal weight of
shrimp, however the shrimp do not need to be cooked first.

 Drink Cardamom Tea or Chai with the meal, or afterwards.

Samaki wa Kupaka (Grilled Fish)

This tasty fish recipe is best if it's done on a charcoal grill, but it's quite good if done in the
oven broiler.

What you need

 one whole fish, two to four pounds (ask for a fish that will hold together on the grill)

 one or two teaspoons of fresh ginger

 six to eight cloves of garlic

 one chile pepper

 three cups coconut milk (canned is okay, see the note about coconut milk on the Wali wa
Nazi recipe page)

 tamarind paste or powder to taste (use just a little if you like, but you must use some)

 one teaspoon curry powder

 salt (to taste)

 cayenne pepper or red pepper (to taste)

What you do

 Clean fish, remove scales and tail. Cut a long gash on each side of the fish. Grind together
the ginger, garlic, and chile pepper, and salt until it forms a paste. Rub this mixture all over
the fish, into the stomach cavity, and into the gash on each side. Cover and leave to sit for an
hour or two.

 In a saucepan stir together the coconut milk, tamarind, curry powder, salt and cayenne
pepper. Simmer the sauce over a low heat.

 Place the fish on an outdoor grill (a metal grill basket with a hinged top is very useful); or
cook the fish in the oven broiler. When fish is half done begin spooning the sauce over the
fish. Spoon more of the sauce onto the fish each time you turn it. If using the broiler you
might transfer the fish to the oven. Continue cooking until fish is done.

 Drink Cardamom Tea or Chai with the meal or afterwards.

Recipe for African Grilled Tilapia

Ingredients:

4 fresh or thawed tilapia fillets

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup white wine

Juice of one fresh lemon

2 tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup orange bell pepper finely chopped

1/2 tsp. McCormick® crushed red pepper

Instructions:

Mix the olive oil, wine and lemon juice in a baking dish and marinate the tilapia in the
mixture for an hour or more. In a small pan, melt the butter and sauté the peppers, onions and
garlic--don't over cook. Put the fish on a grill. (A charcoal grill is best!) It is best to use a grill
basket so you can easily flip the fish. Don't forget to coat the grill or basket with some oil or
spray oil, such as PAM®. Carefully brush on some of the marinade on the fish while on the
grill, and sprinkle with half of the crushed pepper. Flip fish and repeat. Add the sautéed
veggies to the top of fish and serve. Grilled tilapia tastes great with a side of long grain and
wild rice!