Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Filipino Fish Sarciado
菲律賓番茄蛋汁魚
Recipe overview
This home-style version preserves the dish's defining flavours with quantities and heat control suited to a Hong Kong kitchen.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g tilapia fillets
- 4, diced ripe tomatoes
- 2, beaten eggs
- 1, sliced onion
- 3 cloves, minced garlic
Sauce seasoning
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 120 ml water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
02
Tools
- household hob
- lidded frying pan
- fish turner
- wooden spatula
- food thermometer
- chef's knife
- raw-fish cutting board
- vegetable cutting board
- measuring spoons and jug
- large and small bowls
- kitchen paper
- raw-fish tray
- clean plate
- clean shallow serving dish
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the vegetables
On the vegetable board, dice the 4 tomatoes, slice the 1 onion and mince the 3 garlic cloves; keep them in separate bowls.
Step 2
Dry and season the fish
Pat the 600 g fish fillets dry with kitchen paper; season evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and half the black pepper. Place the dried fillets on the raw-fish tray.
Step 3
Heat the oil
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat until the surface shimmers.
Step 4
Fry the fish
Lay the fish in one layer and fry for 3–4 minutes per side until golden; transfer to a clean plate.
Step 5
Soften the onion
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook the onion over medium heat for 2 minutes until its edges soften.
Step 6
Cook the tomato sauce
Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, pressing with a wooden spatula into a chunky sauce.
Step 7
Season the tomato sauce
Pour in 120 ml water and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; add the remaining salt and pepper and simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 8
Stream in the eggs
Slowly pour the 2 beaten eggs into the gently simmering tomato sauce while pushing with the spatula to form soft ribbons; cook for 1 minute.
Step 9
Return the fish
Return the fish to the tomato-and-egg sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes without vigorous stirring.
Step 10
Check the fish
Check the thickest fish reaches 75°C and flakes opaque; cover and cook 2 minutes longer if needed.
Step 11
Rest the fish
Turn off the heat and rest the fish in the sauce for 2 minutes so the egg sets while the fillets stay intact.
Step 12
Plate and serve
Lift the fish into a clean shallow serving dish with a spatula, spoon over the tomato-and-egg sauce and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Uneven pieces cook at different rates.
- Excessive heat burns the outside before the centre is done.
- Sharing utensils between raw and cooked food risks contamination.
- Adding seasoning before tasting can make the dish too salty.
Tips
Measure and arrange everything first; judge progress by colour, texture and safe centre doneness, not the clock alone.
