How to Cook Pinaputok na Tilapia Recipe

This recipe, is a Kapampangan cuisine which I learned from my wife. Anyway this dish is very simple to make so don't be discourage to cook one by yourself.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Total Time16

Course: Fish Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: fried tilapia, pinaputok na tilapia, stuffed tilapia

Servings: 3 pcs

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

1 kilo Tilapia gills removed and scaled and the back of the tilapia should be sliced to put the stuffing
1 teaspoon Magic sarap
1 pc red onion sliced to small cubes
1 pc tomato sliced to small cubes
1 stalk celery sliced thinly
2 tablespoon Patis or fish sauce
Rock salt to rub the fish
Banana leaves for wrapping
Cooking oil for deep frying

For the sauce:

Calamansi juice
Patis

Instructions

How to Cook Pinaputok na Tilapia:

Prepare the cleaned and scaled tilapia by cleaning it after you bought it from the market. I don't like to emphasize it further but for the sake of clear instruction, be sure that the fish was sliced at the back to get the internal organs out. So that way you can put the stuffing inside. If the cut is at the abdomen, the fish will look messy. Clean the tilapia in running water and drain. Rub every fish with rock salt then set aside.
Prepare the stuffing by combining the onions, tomatoes, celery, patis and magic sarap. Mix thoroughly then fill each tilapia with the stuffing using your hands and a spoon.
Then wrap each fish with banana leaves. You don't need to wrap it like a package, see the photo below so you can picture it clearly.
Heat the cooking oil, about 3 to 4 cups in a frying pan. Then put fish and cover it immediately because you might be spilled with boiling oil. That is why is is called pinaputok because of the fire cracker sound while frying the tilapia.
When there is no cracking sound already, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn the fish on the other side and watch out again and cover the lid. After 2 to 3 minutes, it is ready to serve.
For the sauce: Combine kalamansi juice and patis

Video

Notes

Cooking Tips of Pinaputok na Tilapia Recipe:

1. Perfectly Cleaning the Tilapia

Ensure the tilapia is cleaned thoroughly by removing the internal organs through a slit in the back, not the abdomen, for a neater presentation. Rinse the fish under cold running water to remove any remaining scales or impurities. Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels before seasoning and stuffing.

2. Flavorful Stuffing Technique

To maximize flavor, finely chop the onions, tomatoes, and celery for the stuffing. Mix the ingredients with a generous amount of patis (fish sauce) and magic sarap (seasoning) for a savory filling. Use your hands to gently stuff the mixture into the cavity of the tilapia, ensuring even distribution.

3. Wrapping for Moisture and Aroma

When wrapping the tilapia in banana leaves, fold the leaves loosely to allow steam to circulate during cooking, keeping the fish moist and infusing it with a subtle aroma. Secure the ends of the banana leaves with toothpicks to hold the parcel together. This wrapping technique also helps to prevent the stuffing from falling out during frying.