Tilapia Fillets with Tomato - Chilli Sauce

So I married a meat-a-holic...the title says it all, doesnt it?! Well, for the benefit of those who did not get it, this is a blog by a veggie who is married to someone - someone for whom meat and fish is a part of everyday food. I wanted my other blog, Mirch Masala to be what it is now, a vegetarian blog and since i make so many non-vegetarian dishes at home..it sometimes feels like a sin, not blogging about it. That is when the meat-a-holic, known to many of you as AJ, suggested that I start another blog. So here you go, a new blog of mine dedicated to my husbands love of anything non-vegetarian! :) So, all those who are following Mirch Masala, pls add this also to your reader / follow list.

The original plan was to make the breaded tilapia from 660 curries, but somehow at the last moment, i changed it to Tilapia Fillets with Tomato-Chilli Sauce. This is adapted from the book "Best Ever India Cookbook" by Mridula Baljekar and others. The original recipe was Fish Fillets in Chilli Sauce and suggested using any flatfish like plaice, sole or flounder ; but I had only tilapia and decided to go ahead with it. Now, that was a pretty bold step, considering that I have no idea how different these fishes are!! Well, you will see the verdict of this dish at the end of the post!

Fish Fillets with Tomato-Chilli Sauce

2 Tilapia fillets, each cut into 3 pieces

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

1 tsp oil

For the sauce:

1 tsp grated ginger

2 tbsp tomato paste, mixed with water to form a paste

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp of hot chilli sauce (Sri Racha)

1 tbsp hot pepper sauce ( i used the Pittsburgh's Original Sports Sauce, which I had bought on a trip to Pittsbugh)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets and place them in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, cilantro and oil to it. Mix well and keep aside to marinate for an hour or so.

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce, pour into a small saucepan and simmer gently over a low heat, stirring occassionally. Keep it warm.

Preheat the oven to broil. Place the fish fillets in a sheet pan and broil them for 5 -7 minutes. When the fish is cooked, remove from the oven and arrange on a plate. Spoon the warm tomato-chilli sauce over it and seve hot.

The meat-a-holic's verdict : "Its surprisingly flavorful for such a simple dish. The cilantro and sauce combo work well, though hotness should vary by taste. Will go well with a bread/pasta dish. Rated: 7/10."