Fish Cake

Here's another Guyanese dish for you: fish cakes!  I love recipes that have multiple uses.  Fish cakes can be an appetizer, side dish, part of a whole meal for lunch or dinner, or a light snack!  It uses a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your home.  This recipe can be multiplied for catering-sized trays or just stick to the portions below to feed a few family members.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb frozen whiting fish fillet, fully thawed
  Seasoning tip:  2 portions of the below ingredients are needed (1 portion to season the fish to fry and 1 portion to add to the fish after you fry it)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoon chopped onion
• 3 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup veggie oil
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup bread crumbs

Recipe:

1. Heat oil in pan – medium heat
2. Wash and pat the fillets dry
3. Lightly season the fish with all of the above ingredients except the eggs and the bread crumbs
4. Put fish in oil to fry until slightly brown on each side (about 2-3 mins)
5. Take the fish out of the pan and put it in a medium-large basin
6. Use a fork to break the fish apart, adding bread crumbs, egg and another round of the ingredients from above (then mix to incorporate)
7. Form cake-like patties out of the mixture
8. Re-heat the ¼ cup of oil to medium heat
9. Place the fish cakes in the oil and fry until golden brown on each side
10. Enjoy with brown rice, dhal, and mango chutney or pepper sauce of your choice!

Fish Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

Here's another 20 minute meal for you!  A delicious, light, soury soup that is loaded with tamarind paste, meaty trout, crunchy summer squash and daikon radishes - and my personal addition: sliced habañero peppers!  You can tell I'm on a habañero craze :) 

Sinigang is served even during summertime in the Philippines.  It encompasses all of my favorite elements of a home-cooked meal: ethnic, healthy, fast, and delicious! 

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rainbow trout or fish of your choice (tilapia or salmon work well) (cleaned and de-boned - cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 packets tamarind stir-fry paste (or whatever tamarind paste you can find)
• 1/2 of a fresh diakon radish, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup summer squash, diced
• 1 habanero pepper, thinly sliced with the seeds removed
• 2-3 cups water
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 2 tamarind strings, cleaned, seeds pulled apart (optional)​
• Rice for serving (optional)

Recipe:

1. Use a medium-large bowl to combine the tamarind paste and the water - you'll want to stir and have the paste dissolve a bit.
2. In a medium pot, place the fish, squash, tomatoes and radish before turning on the heat.  Then, pour the tamarind mixture on top and turn the heat on medium. 
3. Add the habanero and bring the mixture to a boil (you'll want to raise the heat for this). Cover the pot.
4. Fish should cook in 5-7 minutes, then you can remove the pot from the heat and serve!  Traditionally this dish is served over rice but you can drink it as a soup if desired. 

Stewed Fish

Comfort food can be healthy!  Lightly breaded fish in with a warm tomato stew - YUM! Definitely a winner for cold nights like this.  I used cod because it's what I had in the freezer but you can try this with tilapia also.

Time: ~45 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of cod (I had frozen pieces that I defrosted)
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• ~2 tablespoons of dry all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can tomato puree or 1/2 can tomato paste with 1/2 cup water
• 2 fresh plum tomatoes (or a few grape tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying the fish

Recipe:

1. Wash fish and pat dry.  Season with salt, garlic powder and pepper.
2. Coat the fish in dry flour and fry each piece for about 2 min on each side until light brown (in medium-hot oil).
3. Remove the fish from the oil, drain some of it so there's only about a tablespoon of oil left. 
4. Heat remaining oil back to medium heat, throw in the onion and minced garlic. 
5. Add in all the remaining ingredients above (excluding the fresh tomatoes), let simmer until the gravy is thick.
6. Carefully put the fish back in so it does not break apart. 
7. Cut the fresh tomatoes and layer around and on top of the fish - cook for only 2 mins.
8. Serve with plain rice & some lime or mango chutney!