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Tilapia is the combined name of several fish species in the Cichlid family. They have an elongated flat body and live in freshwater. Farmers breed tilapia in huge quantities due to the high demand and rich vitamin composition.
A profit from the sale of fish is large since the maintenance costs are low. Chefs also appreciate this product for its unusual taste and many variations of cooking.
Is tilapia a good fish to eat?
The main benefit of this fish lies in its protein component, easily digested even by an exhausted body. Experts recommend including the product in the diet of people recovering from surgery, pregnant women, and young children. Just 100 g of this product fills half of an adult’s daily protein requirement and omega 3 fatty acids.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are part of this meat, are significant for the full functioning of the body. They regulate hematopoiesis and higher nervous activity, become effective prevention of thrombosis, and prevent atherosclerosis. For a number of these reasons, experts consider tilapia a good product for consumption.
Tilapia: pros and cons
Experts count more than 100 types of tilapia today. However, all representatives have similar characteristics and nutritional properties. Fish fillet is rich in protein, and there are practically no carbohydrates and fats in it.
It makes the product low-calorie: 100 grams contains only 96 kcal. Among the beneficial vitamins and minerals, experts distinguish vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, selenium, calcium, and iron.
All nutrients allow tilapia to have many beneficial properties on the human body:
- improves metabolic processes
- regenerates the formation of new cells
- improves vascular elasticity
- forms muscle mass
- regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood
However, tilapia is an omnivorous fish. In addition to algae, it eats garbage and waste. This can make the product dangerous and toxic to consume.
Experts consider unscrupulous manufacturers to be another disadvantage of the product. They sell it in canned or frozen form, reducing the vitamin and mineral composition of fish.
Do you need to flip tilapia when baking?
Choosing the right cooking technology is especially important in the case of using fish. To bake tilapia in the best way, lay out the fish fillets with the bottom side up. Experts recommend using a baking tray or baking dish as a surface.
Put half of the fillet on the baking tray, add salt and pepper. After 10-15 minutes, turn the product over to the other side. The baking time depends on the thickness of the fish and on the presence or absence of foil.
Do you need to rinse tilapia before cooking?
Quite often, professional chefs recommend not to wash the fish before cooking. You should rinse only the already cleaned pieces of the fish fillet under cold running water. If you have doubts, follow the advice from experts:
- Do not wash the fish in the absence of visible dirt, sand, or blood.
- If you bought unpeeled fish, then wash it in a deep bowl.
- Be sure to dry the fish fillets with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
How do you remove the gills from tilapia?
Professional chefs claim that getting rid of gills is not always required. However, gills are the source of garbage accumulation and unpleasant odor. To remove them from tilapia, follow the instructions:
- Turn the carcass belly to yourself. Bend the gill cover on one side and make an incision near the frontal attachment of the gill arch.
- Do the same with the second gill arch.
- Bend the bridle that connects the gill arches under the mouth of the fish. Push a sharp knife through, cut off both of them from the bridle.
- Carefully remove the gills.
- Rinse the tilapia under running water, substituting the place to which the gill arches were attached under the jet.
Why is tilapia banned in Australia?
Tilapia is a species banned in Australia. For the first time, travelers brought fish there in the 1970s. The authorities of the country wanted to use tilapia to combat the reproduction of algae and mosquitoes.
However, the fish spread throughout the local waters and began to reduce the population of other species. It was the main reason for adding tilapia to the list of prohibited fish in Australia.
The authorities are trying to closely monitor that this species does not again enter the territory of the country and does not start wrecking.
Can you eat the skin of tilapia?
According to scientists, tilapia skin has a non-infectious microflora. This makes it not only safe for human consumption but also gives medicinal properties. Tilapia skin has a structure similar to human skin and acts as a graft for the treatment of burn wounds.
Recently, such properties of tilapia skin have been discovered by scientists from several countries at once. This allowed specialists to use the material as a biological medicine. The human stomach is also able to digest this product well.
Is tilapia good for you to lose weight?
The low-calorie content of tilapia allows specialists to include it in the diet of many patients. The absence of fats and the presence of nutritious protein compounds are the main qualities that make tilapia a welcome guest on the tables of people who watch their weight.
Its delicate taste will appeal to everyone who is actively involved in sports and leads a healthy lifestyle. Also, tilapia will become a delicious and full-fledged source of protein after training.
How to season tilapia for oven
Tilapia meat has a neutral taste and smell. You can improve the taste of the dish by adding suitable spices. Professional chefs advise using coriander, thyme, and ground nutmeg. These spices will enhance the taste of the dish and make it unique.
To get a rich golden color, you can use turmeric. Fresh basil, dill, parsley flakes, and thyme can give freshness to a fish dish. The main rule in choosing seasonings is not to block the taste of fish, but to improve it.
How long to bake tilapia at 375
The time of baking fish at a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit depends on many factors. First of all, it is the thickness of the fish steak. You should bake tilapia fillets for 10 minutes for every 2.5 inches.
Also, pay attention to the power of your oven, the thickness of the walls of the pan, and valuable points. To protect the product from combustion, bake it at lower temperatures.
How long to cook tilapia in the oven
You can cook tilapia fillets in the oven quickly enough. However, consider the thickness of the steak and use the marinade to speed up the cooking process. On average, 10-15 minutes is enough for a medium-sized steak.
If you decide to bake fish flakes, then reduce the cooking time to 7-10 minutes. To bake a whole fish in the oven, you will have to spend at least 30-35 minutes.
Best way to cook tilapia in the oven
Tilapia baked in the oven is a wonderful dinner. Professional chefs consider baking the best way to prepare this dish. To repeat the recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- tilapia – 300 grams
- onion – 1 piece
- lemon juice – 1 piece
- olive oil
- salt – to taste
- spices – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Defrost tilapia fillets at room temperature.
- Wipe the tilapia fillets with paper towels and sprinkle with lemon juice.
- Lubricate the fish on both sides with a small amount of olive oil, salt, and spices.
- Cover the baking dish with a layer of foil and smear a small amount of vegetable oil.
- Finely chop the peeled onion and put it on the bottom of the mold.
- Place the tilapia fillet on the onion.
- Put lemon slices on each fish.
- Put the mold in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees. The baking time is 30 minutes.
Crispy baked tilapia recipe
Use ordinary potatoes to cook tilapia in a crispy crust. To repeat this recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- tilapia fillet – 4 pieces
- onion – 1 piece
- wheat flour – 3 tablespoons
- potatoes – 500 grams
- proteins – 2 pieces
- salt and ground pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Finely chop the onion and fry in vegetable oil until lightly browned.
- Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly, add a little whipped white, pepper, and 1 tbsp flour.
- Grate the potatoes and place them on paper towels to remove moisture.
- Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the onion and protein mixture there.
- Add salt to tilapia fillets and roll in flour.
- Put potato mass on each side of the fillet, press it down. Fry in vegetable oil for no more than 15 minutes.
How to cook frozen tilapia
Frozen tilapia will be a great option for a quick dinner on a weeknight. To repeat the recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- frozen tilapia fillet – 500 g
- olive oil – 4 tablespoons
- paprika – 3 tablespoons
- salt – 1 teaspoon
- onion powder – 1 teaspoon
- black pepper – 1 teaspoon
- cayenne pepper – 1 teaspoon
- dried thyme – 1 teaspoon
- dried oregano – 1 teaspoon
- garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
- ground black pepper – 1 teaspoon
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Preheat the oven to 230°C and prepare a baking sheet.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Take 2 tablespoons of olive oil and grease the foil evenly.
- Mix the spices in a bowl.
- Rinse and dry the frozen tilapia.
- Place the fish on a baking sheet.
- Brush the fillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a mixture of spices.
- Put the tilapia in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Selection and storage rules
To buy a high-quality and fresh product, you should pay attention to the appearance of tilapia:
- The eyes of an undivided fish should be transparent and shiny. If the eyes are dark, the fish is spoiled.
- Give preference to fish with pale intact skin and long fins.
- Fresh tilapia has a faint river aroma. If it smells like medicines, refrain from buying such a product.
- Choose a product with a uniform, not bright meat color. Too saturated color is a signal of harmful food additives in fish.
- Purchase chilled fillets. During the freezing process, tilapia loses some of its nutrients.
Buy fish from trusted sellers or from fish farms. This will warn you against a low-quality product oversaturated with harmful additives.
Substitutes and variations
Sometimes it is not easy to find fresh tilapia on the store counter. In such cases, experts identify some possible fish substitutes:
- Striped bass. This fish has similar neutral-tasting meat and a pleasant smell. It also requires a small amount of oil.
- Bream. It is a deep-sea fish with meat similar in color and structure. Despite belonging to different fish families, tilapia and bream are quite similar.
- Red snapper. This valuable commercial fish has similar tender meat and a pleasant sweet taste.
Common tips
Professional chefs highlight several general cooking tips for making easily baked tilapia. Here are some of them:
- Use garlic, salt, and a teaspoon of paprika to create a fish marinade. Mix the spices with the oil and dip the fish in there. This will help to get tender meat. You can also add a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- There are many side dish recipes for tilapia. However, the best of them is rice. It will perfectly reveal the taste qualities of the product.
- Defrost tilapia slowly so that the product does not lose its nutritional properties. Although it is best not to buy frozen fish due to the low content of vitamin and mineral composition.
Final thoughts
There are many tilapia recipes. You can cook the oven-baked product, grill the fish or fry in a pan skillet. The choice of additional ingredients is also great: garlic cloves to enhance the taste, parmesan cheese for tenderness, and lemon zest or lime juice for acid.
The main thing is to choose a fish recipe so you can pierce the fillet easily with a fork. The fish meat should get tender and juicy. Experiment with recipes and different ways of cooking tilapia. Make this tonight and don’t delay!