by Levana Kirschenbaum

Dipping fish fillets in coconut milk makes for an incredibly moist and tender fish. I love to coat my fillets with cornmeal, as it makes a thin, crisp, golden crust, much more so than flour or matzoh meal does. St. Peter’s fish, from the Kineret River in Israel, is also called tilapia when it is grown locally. It has firm flesh and sweet flavor and costs about half as much as flounder or sole. The fillets have a natural division along the center, with one thick side and one thinner side, so I suggest you cut each fillet in half lengthwise. The thin sides will take less time to cook than the thick sides, and you can take them out sooner. This recipe works equally well with sole or flounder fillets. For an extra kick, serve it with Harissa or a Curried Mango Dressing.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup fine cornmeal

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon curry powder or less for taste

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parlsey

Salt and pepper

6 tilapia fillets (about 6 ounces each), cut in half lengthwise, thoroughly dried with paper towels

Directions:

1. Place the cornmeal in a dish. In another dish, mix the coconut milk, eggs, curry, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Lightly roll each fillet first in the cornmeal, shaking off the excess, then in the coconut milk mixture, letting the excess liquid drip back onto the dish.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat. When the oil starts to sizzle, lower the heat slightly and add the coated fillets, avoiding crowding them so as not to lower the temperature. Let the thin fillets cook for about 2 minutes on each side and the thick fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.

4. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the fillets to a platter lined with layers of paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 12 appetizer servings or 6 main-course ones