Sweet and sour glazed tilapia with basmati rice
I always feel that fish is the original fast food. It cooks in just minutes. For this 5-minute recipe, I use tilapia, because its easily available, reasonably priced and goes well with the sauce. The sauce has an unusual ingredient, ketchup. I was surprised to find that several top chefs use it in their sauces. It adds a sweet and tangy flavor. Soy sauce and vinegar finishthis easy sauce.
Whenever I cook basmati rice, my family wants to know if I’m making popcorn. Indianbasmati rice has a distinct flavor and smells like popcornwhile cooking. Iwas delighted to find that It nowcomes in a microwaveable package that takes only 2 minutes in a microwave oven. It makes a quick finish to this dinner.
HELPFUL HINTS:
Any type offirmwhite fish can be used for this recipe. Count 10 minutes cooking time for each inch of thickness.
Any type of rice can be used. Look for microwaveable packages.
COUNTDOWN:
■ Prepare all ingredients. ■ Make rice.
■ Make tilapia.
SHOPPING LIST
Tobuy: ¾ poundtilapia fillets, 1 bottle reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 bottlewhite distilled vinegar, 1 can olive oil spray, 1 large tomato, 1 bunch scallions and 1 package microwaveable basmati rice.
Staples: Olive oil, ketchup, salt and black peppercorns.
Mix ketchup, soy sauce andvinegar together in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat a medium-size nonstick skillet overmedium-high heat and spray with olive oil spray. Add tilapia and sauté 3minutes fora ½-inch fillet. Carefully turn the fish overand sauté 2 minutes. Addsalt andpepper to taste to the cooked side of the fish. Remove to a plate. Addthe sauce to the skillet and cook30seconds until it just starts to bubble. Spoon the sauce over the fish and spreadthe tomato cubes on top.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 239 calories (20 percent from fat), 5.3 g fat (1.5 g saturated, 2.5 g monounsaturated), 84 mg cholesterol, 36.7 g protein, 13.7 g carbohydrates, 1.4 g fiber, 613 mg sodium.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of “SimplySmoothies: Fresh & FastDiabetes-Friendly Snacks& CompleteMeals” and“Fast and Flavorful: Great DiabetesMeals fromMarket toTable”and“The Flavors of the FloridaKeys.”Her website is dinnerinminutes. com. FollowheronTwitter@ lgassenheimer. Email: linda@ dinnerinminutes.com.