This Ginataang Tilapia Recipe is really yummy. Ginataan (or guinataan) is a Filipino cooking method that means “cooked in coconut milk”. Ginataang Tilapia is a dish where Tilapia (a fish belonging to the tilapiine cichlid tribe) is cooked in coconut milk (or cream) and served with banana peppers.
This method is popularized by the Bicolanos, the fifth-largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group that lives in the southern islands of Luzon. There are many other ingredients that can be cooked with Coconut milk but my taste buds are craving for Ginataang Tilapia as of the moment. I can’t wait to put my hands on this yummy fish.
How to Cook Ginataang Tilapia
It is easy to cook ginataang tilapia. As I always say, do not get intimidated on the pictures because cooking this dish is much simple than you think. We also have the cooking video for you to use as a guide so that you won’t get lost or confused in the process.
Start by heating oil in a wide pan. The next step is to saute the onion, ginger, and garlic. You can throw all the ingredient on the pan at the same time, or you can add it one after the other — what matters here is that these spices gets cooked in the pan until the onion softens.
Seeing the soft onion is your queue to add the fish sauce, pepper, and coconut cream (you can also use coconut milk). You just need to ensure that all the ingredients are well blended, so you will need to gradually stir it using a kitchen spoon.
Try this Delicious Ginataang Tilapia Recipe and let me know what you think.
Ginataang Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs tilapia cleaned (about 1 kilo)
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 piece medium onion finely sliced
- 1 knob ginger cut into strips
- 1-2 pieces banana pepper or finger chili
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce patis
- 4 pieces red chilli pepper optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in a cooking pot.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in the hot oil
- Once the onion become soft, add the fish sauce and ground black pepper. Stir.
- Pour in the coconut cream and stir. Let boil and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the banana pepper and tilapia. Cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. Add some water if needed.
- Put-in the red chillies. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the spinach and simmer for about a minute.
- Transfer to a serving plate.
- Serve Hot. Share and Enjoy!
Betty Sanntos says
Delicious!!!! I love it.
Benjamin Balmoris Jr. says
Thanks for this. I tried it and it was delicious!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Thanks Betty. Appreciate it. Keep on cooking!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Thanks for visiting Benjamin. By the way, you have a nice site.
Panlasang Pinoy says
Robelyn, just sent my answer via email. Please check it out.
Alexis says
Hi Kuya, I’m a newbie when it comes to cooking and saw this recipe a very easy one. Just have a slight prob, I bought the coconut milk ‘for dessert’ by mistake. Can I still use it?
Thanks!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Welcome Alexis. How did you find your stay here?
I’m not sure I understand what you meant by coconut milk for dessert. Are you are trying to say that it is somewhat a “sweet coconut milk” (the one with sugar)? If so, I’m afraid that you can’t use it because the taste of the dish would change.
Lea says
I had accidentally watched your cooking video in youtube and after that I was hooked! I love to cook for my family, but sometimes I will run out of ideas what to cook for the week. Your site has been very inspiring and I learn more, I really appreciate what you are doing for all the Filipinos around the world who wants a taste of home. More power!
Sam says
I just tried this now for lunch… and I can smell that it’s going to be fab! Thanks!
Sam says
Thanks! I love this dish!
wise says
hnd nba lalagyan ng suka?
Maria says
Is it okey to use the coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
Panlasang Pinoy says
sure Maria
dave says
hello, good day,, just to ask if how can i download those recipe’s. thanks and more power to you… panlasang pinoy helps a lot… most specially for the people needs to know the basics of cooking and doesn’t have a money and enough time to enroll at a culinary schools…. thanks again…
Jing Yerkic says
Helo po thanks sa recipe na to..I’m actually cooking it right now..I used pechay po instead of spinach ^__^
newdam says
pre…you can also try to grill the tilapia before cooking in coconut milk. it adds a smokey flavor to the dish. btw, this is adam.
Nida says
It’s my first time to visit this web and I just tried to make the butchi.Is it okay if I add a little sugar sa mixture of sweet rice flour,kasi ang tabang iyong labas ng butchi.Sir,mukhang ang bilis gayahin basta with video at nakakagutom once I see the outcome in your video.Thanks you.I think I can learn to cook many kinds of recipes using your web.
Danny Cachuela says
I tried your recipes (Siopao Asado and Ginataang Tilapia) and I am impressed. I really don’t cook, but now that the real estate market is slow, I tried cooking. Now I can eat all the Filipino food that I miss so much. I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. I will be trying more of your recipes, and your website is now bookmarked in my computer.
Panlasang Pinoy says
Thanks for the Feedback Danny. Glad you liked it.
Mary Ann says
hi!
thank you sa pag share nang mga recipes.. di namin ma miss ang pagkaing pinoy, hopefully you will post more recipes.. thanks again
uzumaki_oink says
thanks for this easy and good recipe! i did not use tilapia in this recipe, a diff fish and the taste is so great!
saramuel says
i made it! super delicious…as feedback! hihihi
dwyne says
thanks po sa recipe cause aside from being healthy sa katawan ay delicious pa cya
jonah says
you may try frying the fish first before putting it in the simmering coconut milk. that way, the fish won’t get mashed up even if you simmer it a little longer, or if you want the sauce to dry up a little bit. my husband’s good at cooking this recipe.. =)
Vanjo Merano says
Mickey, you may use patis.
Liza Fe says
thank you very much…your reioes are so simple but sooo wonnnderrrrful!
luisa says
i know na siling pangsigang ..right? thnks
liza edpao says
can u please send me the recipe for …..its like palitaw but has sweet sauce with latik i dont know if they call it latik like palitaw that comes with latik in juice or sauce, its a desert.
lea says
I really love your website Kuya. I just got married and this site really helps me. When I was still single I never knew how to cook. LOL. Thats because I was workaholic… So, Thank you sooo much.
Vanjo Merano says
Thans for the message. You are welcome 🙂
Richard C.V. says
Dear Vanjo,
Thank you very much on your numerous recipe of yours..got your emailed copies..Do you have a hard copies for sale? I mean a book of it with all your recipes on it..
Thanks ,
richard
lea says
Yummy…..i feel hungry this time … i eant to cook like that.mmmmmmmp
jona says
Thank you panlasang pinoy. old enough but cant cook. Thank you for sharing easy to cook dishes with techniques. They thought ive been cooking for a long time already.
romel says
nice thank you .. !
Annie says
Hello first time ko po magluto ng ginataang tilapia instead of spinach can i replace it with petchay? Thanks po
Carl McFly says
I am thankful how you made the steps of this dish for a simpleton cooker like me. It came out absolutely divine! The fam made me repeat it and it was even better. Thank you for the guide and kudos to you guys! May you have many more recipes (which I know you already have) to feature! ????????????????????????????
Lollipop says
Kindly put the link of your video in the website as well so we can just click it easily
Thankyouu <3