I am the first to admit that it's easier for me to reach for a salmon when shopping for dinner. Mainly because I know exactly how to grill it. Only problem is the ridiculous prices it commands. Looking at the rows of other fishes on offer at a fraction of the cost, it bothered me that I had no idea how to prepare them. Yes, I love my gulai tempoyak and masak assam but there are so many people out there able to cook it better than me.

So if you're like me and love fish but are looking for something more contemporary to dress it in, we came up with some great ways to prepare them. And yes impress a few people along the way.

Grilled Sardines

They are soft, flaky and full of flavour. And seriously- it's healthy to boot!

Sardines are awesome! And not just in currypuffs and in laksa broth. You can get local sardines for cheap. I love them messed about in turmeric and salt then fried. But we decided to go Greek on this fish and just grill them. With a bit of lemon, a meal of this will transport you on a sun drenched terrace, with an azure sea in the background.

5 fresh sardines
1 handful flat parsley
1 lemon
1 tsp flavoured salt (you can make your own with sea salt spiked with a pinch of paprika and lemon zest)
1 handful dill
1 Tsb olive oil

Stuff the sardines with flat parsley and dill and lemon slices. Skewer the fish and lightly oil it.
Season it with the flavoured salt. Cook in the oven at 180C for 10-12mins.

Fish Stew

Stews bubbling on a stovetop always makes me feel like the world is a better place. We got some fabulous ikan merah for this but really you can use any fish that has firm flesh or even add in prawns, mussels and squid and have a seafood stew on your hands.

1 Ikan Merah (red snapper), cut into cubes (fillet and keep the bone)
2 carrots
1 leek
1 celery
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
1 handful of dill
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
½ Cup salted butter
½ Cup flour
800-1000ml Milk
Salt and Pepper to taste



Flavour the milk with the left over fish bones by bringing it to a simmer. Strain it.
Cut all vegetables and fish and sauté till browned.
In a different pot, melt the butter and add in the flour to make a roux. Stir gently on medium heat till the colour changes into light brown.
Pour in milk and stir till it slightly thickens.
Add in the vegetables and fish. Roughly chop dill and add in together with bay leaves.
Stir gently until it has a nice silky texture. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest.

With crusty bread, this is a treat!

Gosh! This is a delicious stew. It's not too creamy so you don't get too full and the fish really gives it added sweetness. You just need a spoon to eat this up or do it our way- grab some baguettes, rip it apart with your bare hands and spend a happy half hour dipping it into the gravy.

"There's nothing more fine, then fresh fish grilled simply with a squeeze of lemon.."

Tilapia Nachos

I used to turn my nose up at tilapia. It always seemed like a scrapping the bottom of the barrel of fishdom for me. Imagine my surprise when traveling in America I discovered that tilapia is a popular menu item. Bred well it doesn't have that 'muddy' taste. Its flesh is firm and goes well with this recipe because the distinctive taste of the fish comes through all the strong Mexican flavours. This recipe came about because I ate some rather delicious tilapia tacos.



2 talapia (cut into cubse, brown it – for gravy)
2 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 pack McCormicks chilli dog mix spice
1 can kidney beans



In a pan with the talipia sauce/gravy sauté the chopped onions and garlic. Add in the McCormick’s mix and stir for 2mins. Add in the kidney beans with the juice and gently stir. Add in the cooked talapia and season with salt and pepper.

Salsa
1 mango
2 yellow onions
1 green bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 handful parsley
1 handful mint leaves
Juice 1 lime
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbs olive oil
2 fresh chappati
½ cup grated mozzarella
½ cup grated parmesan



Cut mango, onion, capsicum, and tomatoes into small cubes. Chop parsley and mint leaves. Mix everything in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, lime juice and olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 180C. Get some chapati and grill it the for 5 minutes until crispy.



Roughly break the chappati up in pieces. Lay the pieces down on a roasting pan. Spread some salsa over it and layer with the talapia chilli gravy. Lastly sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Grill in the oven on grill setting at 180C for 15mins.



The chapati worked out well as chips. This is spicy with a sourish tang. And eventhough this is a snack, it can be a full meal since there's heft from the kidney beans and fish. So quite a meal on it's own. Because the flavour is vibrant, it balances the strong flavour of tilapia so don't be shy to try this recipe out. I'd take this style anytime over just plain grilled tilapia.

Recipes by: Sjaiful Anuar

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