Escabecheng Isda (Sweet and Sour Fish)
Escabeche is a Filipino sweet and sour fish dish made with fried fish topped with a tangy sauce, vegetables, ginger, garlic, onions, and bell peppers. Instead of serving plain fried tilapia with dipping sauce on the side, you pour a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce over it.
It is usually served as a main dish with hot rice. The sauce is the real star here. It is sweet, tangy, a little savory, and full of colorful vegetables.
Fried fish was already good enough for me. Crispy skin, hot rice, maybe a little sawsawan on the side, done. Then Escabeche enters the room with red and green bell peppers, carrots, onions, and that sweet-and-sour sauce.
The first time I cooked it myself, I thought it would be complicated. It looked too colorful to be easy. Usually, when a dish has that many colors, my brain assumes there's a hidden level of stress involved. But nope. You fry the fish, cook the sauce, pour it over, and done.
What I like most about escabeche is that you can cook it on a regular day, but it still gives "handa" energy.
Ingredients
- 1 whole tilapia, at least 1 pound
- 1 teaspoon salt, for seasoning the fish
- ½ cup cooking oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, for sautéing
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup ginger, cut into strips
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ cup carrots, cut into strips
- ½ cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
- ½ cup green bell pepper, cut into strips
- ⅓ cup vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons ketchup, optional, for color
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Tilapia is a good choice for escabeche because it fries well, has a mild flavor, and holds up nicely under the sauce. The vinegar and sugar create that classic sweet and sour balance, while the cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce. Ginger gives the dish its slightly spicy aroma, which helps cut through the fried fish. The carrots and bell peppers add crunch, color, and a little natural sweetness. The ketchup is optional, but I like using it when I want the sauce to look brighter and more appetizing. Don't worry, it does not make the dish taste like spaghetti sauce.
How to Cook Escabecheng Isda
Step 1
Rub the tilapia with salt on both sides and let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Step 2
Heat ½ cup cooking oil in a pan. Once hot, fry the fish until golden and crispy on both sides.
Step 3
Remove the fried fish from the pan and place it on a serving plate.
Step 4
In another pan or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant.
Step 5
Add the carrots, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until slightly tender but still crisp.
Step 6
Pour in the vinegar, sugar, dissolved cornstarch, and ketchup if using. Stir everything together.
Step 7
Let the sauce simmer while stirring occasionally until it becomes glossy and slightly thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 8
Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fried fish and serve hot.
Serve Escabeche right away while the fish is still crispy and the sauce is warm and glossy. This dish is best with hot rice. You can serve it whole on a platter for that classic Filipino family-style presentation, or you can break the fish into portions before adding the sauce if you want it easier to share.
For a nicer presentation, spoon some of the vegetables on top of the fish and let the sauce drip around the plate. If you're serving this for guests, don't hide the fish under too much sauce. Let the crispy golden parts show because that's where the drama is.
Personal Tips
For the best escabeche, fry the fish until it is really golden and crisp before adding the sauce. If the fish is too soft, it can get soggy quickly once the sauce is poured on top. I also recommend keeping the vegetables slightly crunchy. Nobody wants overcooked bell peppers.
If you want a stronger tangy flavor, add a little more vinegar. If you like it sweeter, add a bit more sugar. Escabeche is very forgiving, so taste the sauce before pouring it over the fish.
Also, if you want to keep the fish crispy for longer, serve the sauce on the side and let people pour it themselves.
FAQ
Tilapia is one of the easiest and most common choices, but you can also use lapu-lapu, maya-maya, pompano, bangus, or any firm white fish. The important thing is to use a fish that can be fried whole or in large pieces without falling apart.
Yes. Fish fillet works well if you want an easier version with no bones. Just season the fillets, fry them until golden, then pour the sauce over the top before serving.
No. Ketchup is optional. It mainly adds color and a little extra sweetness. If you want a more traditional-looking lighter sauce, you can skip it.
Make sure the oil is hot before frying, do not overcrowd the pan, and fry the fish until golden brown. If you want maximum crispiness, serve the sauce on the side instead of pouring it over the fish right away.
You can prepare the sauce ahead of time, but it is best to fry the fish close to serving time. This keeps the fish crispy and fresh.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The fish will soften once stored with the sauce, but it will still taste good.
Reheat it gently in a pan over low heat or in the microwave. If you want to bring back some crispiness, separate the fish from the sauce if possible and reheat the fish in an air fryer or oven.
Escabeche tastes sweet, tangy, savory, and slightly gingery. The fried fish gives it a rich and crispy base, while the sauce adds brightness and flavor.
Recipe Card
Escabecheng Isda (Sweet and Sour Fish)
Ingredients
Method
- Season the fish. Rub the tilapia with salt on both sides and let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Fry the fish. Heat ½ cup cooking oil in a pan. Once hot, fry the fish until golden and crispy on both sides.
- Set the fish aside. Remove the fried fish from the pan and place it on a serving plate.
- Sauté the aromatics. In another pan or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant.
- Add the vegetables. Add the carrots, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until slightly tender but still crisp.
- Make the sauce. Pour in the vinegar, sugar, dissolved cornstarch, and ketchup if using. Stir everything together.
- Simmer until thick. Let the sauce simmer while stirring occasionally until it becomes glossy and slightly thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour and serve. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fried fish and serve hot.
