Ginataang Tilapia at Pechay

Ginataang Tilapia is an alternative way of cooking this fish called St Peter's fish. My personal favorite way of cooking this is of course inihaw na tilapia but it has to be really fresh, fresh means they are still alive when they are purchased in the wet market. Other wise it has to be cook fried. The tilapia I bought was frozen pack that comes in 4 pieces a bag of about a kilo each pack.

After much time spend thinking how to cook it I finally decided to cook it gata style with pechay. Last week I saw on TFC how Chef Bruce cooked a Puerto Rican version. He cooks it with a lot of capsicum and using tilapia fillet drizzled with lemon.On this recipe I will add that Puerto Rican flare to my Pinoy guinataang tilapia, I marinated the fish with lemon and salt for minutes and use a lot of bell pepper.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo medium size tilapia
2-3 bundles pechay
1 small size onion, sliced
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1/2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
2-3 stalks spring onions, chopped into 1” length
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 lemon, juice extracted
2 red and green bell pepper, diced
2-3 red chillies, chopped
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Remove scales, gills and innards of tilapia. Using scissors cut fins and tails. Wash tilapia thoroughly and drain, slit cut diagonally across at 2 to 3 locations on both side of each tilapia. Rub each tilapia with salt and drizzle with lemon and keep in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 3 minutes. Wash pechay and drain, cut crosswise into thin strips, separate the stalks from the green leafy part. In a sauce pan, sauté garlic, onion and garlic. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of coconut milk, let boil, add in tilapia and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Add in remaining 1 cup of coconut milk and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add red chillies and pechay, stalks first and after 2 to 3 minutes add the leafy part, bell pepper and spring onions simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked. season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

See other Ginataan recipes; 

Ginataang Pinakbet 
Ginataang Santol, Sinantol 
Ginataang Papaya with Canned Tuna 
Bicol Express an authentic Bicolano dish? 
Ginataang Tanguige at Gulay 
Special Bicol Express 
Ginataang Alimasag with Sotanghon 
Ginataang Ampalaya 

Ginataang Langka with Sugpo 
Ginataang Halaan with Kangkong 
Ginataang Alimasag with Labong 
Ginataang Sugpo at Kalabasa 
Ginataang Tulingan Steak with Pechay 
Ginataang Langka, Jackfruit in Coconut Milk 
Ginataang Galungong with Pechay 
Ginataang Puso ng Saging at Hipon 
Ginataang Puso ng Saging at Hipon