Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- For fried fish, score the skin lightly so the heat penetrates evenly and prevents curling.
- Do not overcook seafood — shrimp turns pink and curls in 2-3 minutes, fish flakes easily when done.
Cooking Tips
Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels before frying — moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350–375°F (175–190°C). If the oil is too cool, the food absorbs grease; too hot and it burns on the outside before cooking through. Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Crispy dishes are best enjoyed fresh — they lose their crunch when stored. If you must store leftovers, reheat in an air fryer or oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore crispiness. Avoid microwaving crispy dishes — the steam makes the coating soggy. Use a toaster oven or stovetop skillet instead. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Crispy Tilapia Sticks
Tilapia deep-fried until golden and crunchy — crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Served with a tangy dipping sauce.
Instructions
- Mix together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper in a bowl mix well.
- Rub the mixture all over the sliced tilapia fillets.
- Meanwhile, pour the oil in a deep cooking pot. Turn-on the heat and start to heat-up the oil.
- Dip the tilapia fillet in the bowl with beaten egg then dredge the tilapia in Panko breadcrumbs. ake sure that the tilapia is well coated. To save more breadcrumbs and for better coating, you can place the breadcrumbs in a container with cover. Simply put 2 to 3 pieces if tilapia fillet in the container with breadcrumbs, cover it, and then shake the container back and forth. You will see that the tilapia will be coated properly.
- Put the breaded tilapia into the hot oil and start to deep fry the fish until the color turns golden brown. Use medium heat in this step
- Remove the deep fried crispy tilapia sticks from the cooking pot and place in a plate lined with paper towel.This will absorb the excess oil.
- Transfer the crispy tilapia sticks in a serving plate and serve with a bowl of fresh ranch dressing. You can also serve this with tartar sauce.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- For fried fish, score the skin lightly so the heat penetrates evenly and prevents curling.
- Do not overcook seafood — shrimp turns pink and curls in 2-3 minutes, fish flakes easily when done.
Cooking Tips
Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350–375°F (175–190°C). If the oil is too cool, the food absorbs grease; too hot and it burns on the outside before cooking through.
Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Crispy dishes are best enjoyed fresh — they lose their crunch when stored. If you must store leftovers, reheat in an air fryer or oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore crispiness.
Avoid microwaving crispy dishes — the steam makes the coating soggy. Use a toaster oven or stovetop skillet instead.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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