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–+ servings
fish escabeche plate

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.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients Method Notes

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

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. Fry the fish. Heat ½ cup cooking oil in a pan. Once hot, fry the fish until golden and crispy on both sides.
  3. Set the fish aside. Remove the fried fish from the pan and place it on a serving plate.
  4. Sauté the aromatics. In another pan or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant.
  5. 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.
  6. Make the sauce. Pour in the vinegar, sugar, dissolved cornstarch, and ketchup if using. Stir everything together.
  7. Simmer until thick. Let the sauce simmer while stirring occasionally until it becomes glossy and slightly thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Pour and serve. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fried fish and serve hot.

Notes

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.

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