Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia
Ginger-cilantro baked tilapia seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with a blend of white wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Baked until cooked through and served over rice, garnished with green onions and cilantro.
Ginger-cilantro baked tilapia seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with a blend of white wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Baked until cooked through and served over rice, garnished with green onions and cilantro.
- Carbohydrate 16.9776109295401 g
- Cholesterol 85.0475 mg
- Fat 5.4977992347455 g
- Fiber 2.41801353969711 g
- Protein 61.1248116843693 g
- Saturated Fat 1.66800998834453 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (449g)
- Sodium 14167.2820997309 mg
- Sugar 14.559597389843 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 353 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oven to 475 degrees F.
- Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place in a glass baking dish.
- Chop the pepper and garlic, and grate the ginger.
- Put in a small food processor with the soy sauce, white wine, sesame oil, and cilantro.
- Whir until blended.
- Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little.
- Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.
- It will be very moist and gelatinous, still.
- Serve immediately over brown rice, garnished with scallions and cilantro.
High oven heat is the single variable that separates perfectly succulent baked tilapia from a dry, rubbery disappointment. Setting the temperature to 475 degrees Fahrenheit ensures the thin protein cooks through within eight minutes before moisture can entirely evaporate from the flesh. Glass baking dishes conduct thermal energy differently than heavy cast iron or thin aluminum, retaining steady heat that gently steams the bottom layers while the aromatic liquids reduce on top.
Aromatic purées require careful balance when paired with delicate fish. Grating fresh ginger on a microplane breaks down fibrous roots into a smooth paste that integrates evenly with sesame oil and soy sauce, preventing harsh pockets of raw spice. Mincing the garlic and jalapeño alongside the cilantro in a small food processor creates an emulsion that clings to the slippery surface of the fillets rather than pooling entirely at the bottom of the dish.
Dietary adjustments are straightforward when working with mild white fish varieties. Tamari substitutes seamlessly for soy sauce to remove gluten content, and dry vermouth or chicken broth can replace white wine if necessary. Substituting alternative thin white fish such as swai or flounder requires no adjustments to the baking time or liquid ratios.
Fresh garnishes restore textural contrast after the high-heat baking process softens the scallions and cilantro leaves. Slicing scallions paper-thin on a bias exposes more surface area to release aromatic oils when scattered over the hot fish and brown rice just prior to serving.
