Tilapia Stew
HB-2357 · Hand-built original · Zambian
Cold outside? Stuffed up? This tilapia stew is exactly what you need. The soup is full of napa cabbage, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ginger with a sour and spicy broth flavored with lime juice, bird’s eye chilies, cumin, and mustard seeds. The soup is rounded out with tilapia for aquatic protein. It all comes together in one pot; ready in 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped herbs and more bird’s eye chilies if you want more heat.
ZambianMain Course45 minGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-free
Main ingredient: tilapia
Serving count not stated for this recipe, so quantities are shown as written.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 31¾ oz tilapia fillets, cut into large pieces
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 small Napa cabbage, chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 8 cups water
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop for 30 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, chillies, cumin and black pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes until they break down, then pour in the water and bring to the boil. Season with salt.
- Add the cabbage and simmer for 8 minutes until just tender.
- Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the tilapia pieces, and poach for 5 to 7 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Do not stir vigorously or the fish will break up.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and adjust the salt. Serve in bowls scattered with parsley, cilantro and extra chilli, with rice or nshima alongside if you like.
Prep: 10 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 45 min
Nutrition not computed — no serving count in the source recipe (per-serving values cannot be derived without one).