A Taste of Thai: Crispy, Spicy Red Tilapia Salad (Larb Pla Thap-thim)

The red tilapia is known in Thai language as Pla Thap-thim, meaning "pomegranate fish".  This type of tilapia is very popular in Thai cuisine where it is prepared in a variety of ways. Today I will share this recipe for Spicy, Crispy Red Tilapia Salad, know in the Thai language as Larb Pla Thap-thim.

Ingredients :

• 2 red tilapia fillets,  
• 1 shallot , finely sliced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp roasted ground rice power
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

Preparation:

1. Steam the red tilapia fillets and pat dry.
2. Place the steamed fillets on a cutting board and, using 2 forks, break up the fish into very small pieces.
3. Heat oil in a wok or skillet on medium low heat and deep fry the fish until golden brown. It takes a few minutes to brown all the pieces to be very crispy. 
4. Drain the cooked fish on paper towel and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl mix together the chopped shallot, chili powder, roasted ground rice power, chopped green onion, coriander, lemon juice, and fish sauce. 
6. Add cooked fish and gently mix together until all fish is coated. The cooked fish should still be crispy while serving.
7. Immediately serve the spicy red tilapia salad mixture with mint leaves and fried shallots.

Organic Gardening In Your Own Backyard

Aquaponics = Aquaculture + hydroponics

Aquaponics combines fish farming (aquaculture) with the practice of raising plants in water (hydroponics). There is no soil; the plants sit directly in gravel that is continually flushed with water, and fish waste.  It's organic by definition: instead of using chemical fertilizers, plants are fertilized by the fish waste, and pesticides/herbicides cannot be used since they would harm the fish.  Since the plants don't need dirt, aquaponics allows gardeners to produce more food in less space. And in addition to the vegetables they grow, gardeners cultivate edible fish as well.  The most popular choice of fish is tilapia because it breeds well, grows fast, and can survive in poor water.  We use Red Tilapia because of it's more presentable appearance and better flavor.  If you search online there are plenty of kits available for those who want a ready-made option.  But, most backyard aquaponics farmers are very DIY.  You can use almost anything that will hold water and gravel to start your project.

Our very first system included a "fish tank" made from cement and an old bathtub for the plants to grow in.  Other systems use such items as I.B.C. containers or plastic 55 gallon drums.  People with limited space have even successfully used  "totes" to make their system.  There are many advantages to growing your own veggies and fish.  You will be amazed at the growth rate of your aquaponically grown veggies compared to those you can buy in the supermarket.  The flavor and freshness of your home grown veggies and fish will also amaze you.  We also find that tending our system can be a great way of relieving stress!  I will post more info in the future about how to create your system and keep it running smoothly.  Until then, happy gardening!

Keeping Our Furry Family Members Safe

Hey all, sorry it has been a week since my last post.  We had a death in the Redhead Tilapia Farm family.  The loss of our beloved Ayoko Oh-No!, our 3 year old teacup yorkie, really took a toll on all of us here at Redhead Tilapia Farm.  So, I decided to take the week off from doing any posting.  

The death of our Oh-No! was caused by an interaction she had with a cane toad.  These are poisonous toads that were introduced here in the Philippines in 1930 to control pests in sugarcane plantations.  These toads now run rampant through many parts of the world, and are highly poisonous.  They have poisonous skin and also secrete poison from glands behind their eyes and across their backs.  It is highly toxic to small animals and children.  There have even been documented cases of human death caused by the consumption of cane toads. The cane toad inhabits open grassland and has a distinct preference for areas that have been modified by humans, such as gardens and drainage ditches .  At Redhead Tilapia Farm, we see numerous cane toads each and every night.  It wasn't until the death of our beloved family pet, I realized just how serious a threat these toads imposed.   It is important for us to keep our small pets indoors after dark as this is when most encounters with these toads occurs.  

We love our pets so much, and it's so hard to let them go. The loss of any beloved pet has a drastic impact on our lives and can be equal to or worse than that of losing a human family member. Losing a pet causes extreme anguish and sorrow. This is a natural reaction when you lose a loved one, whether human or animal; and the stages of mourning are the same. Grievers feel the identical shock and denial, anger and guilt, sorrow and depression.  I did however notice that taking care of our red tilapia seemed to help me in the grieving process.  Taking care of fish can be a great way of dealing with stress and other troubles in your life. 

  

Turn your catered event into something truly spectacular and memorable

Since moving to the Philippines three years ago, I have attended many catered functions.  All unique in their own ways, but then again, all very similar when it comes to the food.  Nine times out of ten, it's always the same dishes served; beef mechado or caldereta, chicken cordon bleu, pork tenderloin, and some type of a battered fish fillet with tartar sauce.  Don't get me wrong, those foods are all delicious, but isn't it time for a change.  Even a small change with just the fish dish.  You can get fish with tartar sauce anywhere.  I have posted a couple of recipes lately that would liven up any catered event.  Imagine serving your guests grilled red tilapia with fresh mango salsa, or sweet and sour red tilapia.  Your event would be the talk of the town for sure!  This year, when planning your catered events, suggest to your caterer that you would like to serve a red tilapia dish.  We are preparing plenty of stock for the holiday season to fill orders for even the largest catered events.  Direct your caterers to us here at Redhead Tilapia Farm.

GRILLED RED TILAPIA with MANGO SALSA

GRILLED RED TILAPIA with MANGO SALSA

INGREDIENTS:
1/3cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp black pepper (ground)
1/2 tsp salt
12 oz red tilapia fillets
1 mango (ripe, peeled pitted and diced)
1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
2 tbsps red onion (minced)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)
2 tbsps lime juice
1 tbsp lemon juice

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1  Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, basil, black pepper, and salt in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the red tilapia fillets, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2  Prepare the mango salsa by combining the mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a bowl. Add the lime juice and  lemon juice, and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3  Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.

4  Remove the tilapia from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill the fillets until the fish is no longer translucent in the center, and flakes easily with a fork, 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Serve the grilled red tilapia topped with the mango salsa.

Serves: 2

Sweet & Sour Tilapia

A Great Summer Recipe

Sweet & Sour Tilapia 

Ingredients :

750 g. of red tilapia fillets

salt and pepper

flour

a carrot, peeled and cut into thin rings

about a cup and a half of snow peas, ends and sides trimmed

1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced

a large white onion or 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

half a head of garlic, peeled and crushed

a small piece of ginger (about the size of your thumb), cut into thin strips

3-4 c. of cooking oil

For the sweet and sour sauce :

1 tbsp. of tomato paste
vinegar (lemon or kalamansi juice tastes better and is more aromatic)
water
sugar
salt
pepper
corn starch

Cooking procedure :

Heat the cooking oil in frying pan (a wok is ideal).

Cut the tilapia fillets into 2-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off the excess, and fry in batches (do not over crowd the pan) in very hot oil until crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper towels.

Mix together all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce. Go by your preference. Some like it more sour than sweet; others, just the opposite. Normally, you will need about a teaspoonful of starch for every 3/4 c. of water for a rather thick sauce. Of course, that’s not a hard and fast rule since the quality of commercial starch varies.

Pour off the cooking oil until only about 2 tablespoonfuls remain. Reheat. Stir fry the carrot and snow peas for about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Return the fish fillets to the pan. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and cook, stirring, until thick and clear.

Serve at once with hot rice.

How it's raised makes all the difference

So, what's the difference between our "farm-raised" tilapia here at Redhead Tilapia Farm, and the other tilapia that you can buy everywhere else?  The answer is simple, EVERYTHING!!! We know where our fish swam, what they were fed, and even more importantly, what they were not fed.  We are committed to the healthiest and the most environmentally friendly farmed red tilapia, also known as king fish.  Poor farming practices including water pollution and the overuse of chemicals and antibiotics are bad news.  Here at Redhead Tilapia Farm, we use NO antibiotics or hormones.  Our fish are kept in well monitored, low density ponds which allow them to grow in a stress free and disease free environment.