Healthier Option

If you love fried fish, but are looking to reduce your waist line, there is no need to freak out. I have a healthy variation of your favorite Panamanian cuisine recipe and it is just as easy to make as it is to eat it. All ingredients stay the same but the all purpose flour and vegetable oil. In this post, I will show you how you can make fried fish without the extra carbs and oil.

Ingredients:

2 small Tilapias
1 scallion, finely chopped
The juice from 1 Lime
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut flour
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
-Rinse the Tilapia in ice cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, carve lines on top of the fish.

Place the coconut, coconut flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix together
In a small bowl, squeeze the juice of the Lime
Place fish in the Lime juice bowl and then into the bowl with the dry mixture
Heat the coconut oil in a large pan in medium/low heat
Place the fish in the pan and cook for 5 minutes each side
Transfer the fish into a plate and serve with Patacónes.

External articles:

Recetas 360 – Patacones

Patacones sin aceite

Wikipedia- All about the patacon

Pinterest – Pictures of Patacones

Patacones- Colombian Recipe

Patacones Panameños

In Panama, Patacónes are a staple side dish to almost every meal. Every time I eat Patacones, I get a nostalgic feeling inside. I can remember all the times my family and I were at the beach, and we would eat Patacones while staring at the beautiful beach. It is a feeling of happiness for me that can’t be topped.

The Patacón, comes from the banana family. It is made of a green plantain which is very commonly found in tropical areas of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. The name “Patacón” was given to this dish because it resembled various colonial era Spanish and Portuguese silver coins.

There is a unique and certain way to prepare Patacónes. First, you need to find a plantain which is not conjoined with another plantain. This type of plantains are very common and often sold as one unit. They are not suitable for making Patacónes due to the lack of roundness. Once you find the correct plantain, you have to cut it crosswise into rounds, fry them in oil fro a couple of minutes, take them out of the oil and press them down flat, then finally frying them again to get them to crispy perfection.

External articles:

Recetas 360 – Patacones

Patacones sin aceite

Wikipedia- All about the patacon

Pinterest – Pictures of Patacones

Patacones- Colombian Recipe

My Panamanian Coconut Crusted Fried Tilapia Recipe

With this recipe, a staple of panamanian cuisine, you are sure to impress your friends and family. Pescado Frito, or fried Tilapia is a really popular dish in Panama. It originated in El Chorrillo, one of the most popular neighborhoods in this city. My version however, includes elements like crispy coconut that give it a crunchier texture which makes the fried fish taste even better.

The first time I cooked fried tilapia, I was ecstatic with the results. I gave out the recipe and people loved it as well. They thought that but adding the crispy coconut crust, it gave it a nutty flavor that complimented the fried tilapia perfectly. I love to serve it with fried Patacones which are fried plantain patties and a Panamanian staple.

I recommend adding ketchup to the Patacones and even using them as patties to make a fried tilapia patron sandwich. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 small Tilapias
1 scallion, finely chopped
The juice from 1 Lime
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 all purpose flour
1 tbsp salt and pepper
2 cups vegetable oil

Directions:

Rinse the fish in ice cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, carve lines on top of the fish.
Place the coconut, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl
Dip the fish in the lime juice and then into the dry mixture
Heat the oil over medium heat to 375 F.
Place the fish carefully in the pan and fry each side for 5 minutes or until golden brown
Transfer the fish to a plate covered in a paper towel to absorb the excess oil and serve with your favorite side dish.

Please enjoy this great dish from my hometown of Panama. Coconut crusted fried fish, directly from El Chorrillo.