TILAPIA: "Dinarang Sa Apoy" (Wrapped Tilapia Cooked Via Direct Fire Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
 
1 800 grams – 1 kilo cleaned Tilapia or Pla-Pla (term for a kilo or larger Tilapia)
 
RUB:
2 sachets Knorr or Maggi “Sinigang Mix” (tamarind soup base mix)
3 grams fine salt
2 grams ground black pepper
2 grams ginger powder
2 grams red cayenne pepper powder (for little “kick”)
20 ml. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
 
GARNISH, SIDES & DIP
1 whole bunch of “pechay Baguio” (wom bok or wong bok) to serve as fish-wrap and as bed & garnish.
2 medium tomatoes – sliced
1 small carrot, de-skinned, julienned
whole red and green bell peppers for garnish ONLY (optional)
1 “manibalang (semi-ripe) green mango” – skin on, sliced (should you want plain green...go ahead)
20 grams pre-cooked “alamang bagoong” (shrimp paste) as mango dip
15 ml. soy sauce with 5 ml. calamansi (or lemon) juice for dip

COOKING MEDIA:
foil
wire rack
2 tongs or spatula with large scoop-ends

PROCEDURES:

1. Slit sides and back of Tilapia for full flavor rubbing & penetration

2. Except for EVOO, blend and mix well via wire whisk all powder ingredients of rub. Set aside.

3. Pour in EVOO to all sides, inside, into the slits and into head of fish and cover all parts by seemingly massaging its flesh. This will ensure optimum powder-flavor absorption.

4. Apply rub and ensure all parts are covered.

5. Foil underneath, lay flat leaves of pechay to serve as bed & wrap, put in fish, cover with leaves of pechay again… then wrap and fold ends of foil so juices won’t leak out.

6. In wire rack lay fish. Fire stove to high temp.

7. As size of fish is quite big that it won’t fit into 1 cooking, cook fish 2 minutes in upper part…slide then cook lower part for 2 minutes as well.

8. Turn fish the other side and repeat #7.

9. After 4 minutes… now you get your juiciest and tastiest Tilapia that you can happily enjoy with family or friends.

10 Set in plate, garnish, serve along with mango & “bagoong” plus the soy sauce-calamansi dip.

Note:
Seems long process at first instance but your 2nd to nth times will normally just take you 10 minutes prep plus max 10 minutes cooking.

Recipe Submitted by Mr. Jose Dante S. Morados. Visit his blog at This Gramp is a Food Critic