Grilled tilapia

Name: Grilled tilapia
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ouganda
Ingredients: 2 scaled, gutted tilapias, about 600 g each ready to cook with heads and bones; 80 g peeled onion; 2 garlic cloves, about 10 g; 15 g peeled fresh ginger; 30 ml lemon juice, plus wedges to serve; 30 ml neutral oil; 1 teaspoon mild paprika; ¼ teaspoon ground pepper; About 4 g salt, adjust

🐟 Two whole marinated tilapias make four portions, oven-roasted with optional brief grilling. Includes one hour refrigerated marination.

Ingredients

2 scaled, gutted tilapias, about 600 g each ready to cook with heads and bones
80 g peeled onion
2 garlic cloves, about 10 g
15 g peeled fresh ginger
30 ml lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
30 ml neutral oil
1 teaspoon mild paprika
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
About 4 g salt, adjust

Preparation

Check fish are cleaned and scaled, pat dry and keep cold. Clean surfaces and utensils after raw-fish contact.

Finely blend or pound onion, garlic and ginger with measured lemon juice, oil, paprika, pepper and salt into a soft paste, without lots of water.

Make 2–3 shallow cuts on each side without cutting backbone. Rub marinade over both sides, cuts and a little inside; cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan; prepare a suitable tray. Take fish from fridge when ready to bake.

Place without overlapping, remove thick excess onion paste and bake about 30–35 minutes. Never serve marinade that touched raw fish as sauce.

Check thick flesh near the central bone: opaque, flaking easily, at least 63°C on a clean thermometer. Extend if needed and remove ready fish separately.

If needed grill 1–2 minutes under constant supervision with grill-safe support. This colours the skin and does not replace internal cooking.

Rest 3 minutes; serve half a fish each with lemon wedges, noting bones. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and preferably use next day after thorough reheating.