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Asa tibs
Asa tibs (የአሳ ጥብስ): crisp fried tilapia pieces with onion, chilli and awaze, Hawassa lakeshore style
Down by the fish market on the shore of Lake Hawassa, cooks fry tilapia straight from the boats and serve it with injera, bread and a fiery dip, and asa tibs is the version you can easily make at home. Bite-sized pieces of fillet are dusted, fried until crisp and golden, then tossed briefly with soft onion, green chilli and a spoon of awaze, so the fish is crunchy outside, flaky and sweet inside, and coated in a spicy glaze. It is a favourite on fasting days for people who eat fish, and quick enough for a weeknight. Chef's tip: leave each piece undisturbed until it releases from the pan by itself; moving fish too early is the common mistake, and it tears the coating and breaks the flesh.
- Total time
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 ⅓ lb tilapia filletsskinless, cut into 4 cm pieces; any firm white fish works
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- ½ cup vegetable oilfor shallow frying
For the tibs
- 1 red onionhalved and thinly sliced
- 2 green chilliessliced lengthways
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tbsp awazesee our recipe, plus extra to serve
- 1 rosemary sprig (optional)leaves only
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅓ lb tilapia fillets with 1 tbsp lemon juice and ¾ tsp salt in a bowl and leave in the fridge for 10 minutes. Then pat the pieces dry with kitchen paper and toss them in 3 tbsp cornflour until lightly coated.
10 minStep 2: Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat until a pinch of cornflour sizzles at once.
Step 3: Fry the fish in two batches, without crowding, for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. Lift onto kitchen paper.
10 minStep 4: Pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil. Add 1 red onion, 2 green chillies, 2 garlic cloves and 1 rosemary sprig and stir-fry over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the onion has just softened.
3 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tbsp awaze, then return the fish and toss gently for 30–60 seconds until every piece is coated. Serve at once with injera or bread and extra awaze on the side.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does asa tibs take?
- About 27 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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