Looking for more foolproof ways to cook fish? This pinaputok na tilapia is so easy to make and takes no time to prepare. In this recipe, a whole tilapia is stuffed with a mixture of tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger to almost “bursting” and bathed in tamarind and melted butter. The stuffed fish is then wrapped in foil to fully secure and baked until super moist and flavorful. For minimal tending, I prefer to finish my fish parcels in the oven but you can also pan-fry, steam or grill them over hot coals as you wish. Give this pinaputok na isda a try and please don’t forget to leave me a feedback on the comments below. I ♥ hearing from you.
Pinaputok na Tilapia
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 whole tilapia, scaled and gutted
- 3 tablespoons tamarind base powder
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon butter, melted
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Dipping Sauce
- Calamansi juice to taste
- soy sauce to taste
Instructions
- Wash tilapia well, rinsing cavity well. Pat dry. Make a two or three slits across the body of the fish on both sides.
- Rub the both fish all over (including cavity) with 2 tablespoons of the tamarind base powder. Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of tamarind powder and the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Stuff each fish's cavity with tomato-onion mixture.
- Liberally brush the outside of both fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Individually wrap stuffed fish with aluminum foil, To prevent leaking, you might need to double wrap to ensure fish are secured nice and tight. Place fish packets on a baking sheet. Bake in a 375 F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
Hi, I made this last night but with mackerel because that’s what I had in my freezer. It was a great and simple recipe! Loved using tamarind powder on it.
Also the other night, I made your tamarind wings. It was amazing!!! I think tamarind powder is my new secret go-to spice.
Hi Ruby
Yes, tamarind powder is a quick way to add a boost of flavor especially in fish. Thank you for the feedback, I am glad to be a part of your kitchen adventures 🙂