Fish and Rice

Auntie Eman’s Fried Tilapia & Spiced Rice A golden, crispy tilapia paired with fragrant, spice-laced rice—it’s the kind of dish that fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas and your heart with comfort... and one of my personal FAVORITES!

Ingredients

For the Fish Marinade:

• 8 tilapia fillets

• 5 garlic cloves, grated

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

• 1 tbsp lemon pepper

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• Salt, to taste

• ¼ cup olive oil

For Frying:

• Cornmeal or fish fry mix (Auntie Eman recommends the one from Costco)

• Oil for frying

For the Rice:

• Remaining oil from frying the fish

• 2 tbsp ghee

• ½ onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp cardamom powder

• 1 tbsp coriander powder

• 1 tbsp curry powder (I didn't have so I used Fadwa biryani masala as a substitute)

• 1 tbsp seven spice

• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

• Salt, to taste

• 3 cups water

• 3 cups regular basmati rice, washed

Instructions

1. Marinate the Fish: In a large bowl, combine garlic, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, cumin, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a spoon. Add the tilapia fillets and gently coat each piece in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (longer is better for deeper flavor!)

2. Dredge & Fry: Once marinated, remove the fish from the fridge. Pour cornmeal or your preferred fish fry mix onto a plate. Press each fillet into the mixture so it sticks well. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the fish until golden and crispy. Set aside, and do not discard the oil—this is flavor gold for the rice!

3. Make the Spiced Rice: In a new pot, add 2 tablespoons of ghee along with a few spoonfuls of the flavorful oil from frying. Add chopped onions and sauté with cardamom, coriander, curry powder (or biryani masala), seven spice, chicken bouillon, and salt. Stir for a few minutes until the onions absorb all that spiced richness.

Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the washed basmati rice, keeping the heat on high until the water is mostly absorbed. Then, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let it steam until the rice is fully cooked.

4. Assemble & Serve: Fluff the rice and serve it on a large platter with the crispy fried tilapia arranged on top or alongside. Garnish with fresh cilantro or lemon slices if desired. Auntie Eman likes to serve it with boiled eggs as well.