Name: Banana Leaf-Grilled Stuffed Tilapia
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 stuffed tilapia
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 4 whole tilapia (about 12 oz each), scaled, gutted, and rinsed; 2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced; 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 thumb fresh ginger, peeled and julienned; 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis); 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 4 large banana leaves, wilted over an open flame until pliable; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 calamansi or lemon, cut into wedges, for serving; Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

A beloved Filipino catch from rivers and coastal markets, whole tilapia is butterflied and loaded with a tangy tomato-onion-ginger stuffing, then sealed inside charred banana leaves and grilled until the flesh flakes apart in fragrant, smoky parcels. The leaves trap steam so the fish cooks gently in its own juices, while the aromatics perfume every bite.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time40 mins

Servings4

Yield4 stuffed tilapia

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

380 kcalCalories
18 gFat
4 gSaturated Fat
8 gCarbs
2 gFiber
3 gSugar
42 gProtein
720 mgSodium
620 mgPotassium
90 mgCalcium
3 mgIron
18 mgVitamin C
85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the fish and stuffing

4 whole tilapia (about 12 oz each), scaled, gutted, and rinsed
2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Whole tilapia

Ripe tomatoes

Yellow onion

Garlic cloves

Fresh ginger

Fish sauce (patis)

Fine sea salt

Cracked black pepper

For wrapping and finishing

4 large banana leaves, wilted over an open flame until pliable
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 calamansi or lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Banana leaves

Vegetable oil

Calamansi

Steamed jasmine rice

Directions

Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (about 400°F) or preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, sliced onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt, and pepper; toss to mix.
Pat each tilapia very dry with paper towels and make 2 shallow diagonal slashes on each side so the aromatics can penetrate.
Stuff the cavity of each fish generously with the tomato mixture, then tuck a few onion slices into each slash. Brush the outside of the fish all over with vegetable oil.
Lay one wilted banana leaf flat on a work surface, place a stuffed tilapia in the center, and wrap it tightly, folding the sides over the fish like a parcel and tucking the ends underneath to seal in the steam.
Place the wrapped parcels on the grill grate (or a baking sheet) and cook for 12 to 14 minutes per side, turning carefully with a wide spatula, until the leaves are charred and puffed.
Transfer to a platter and let the parcels rest for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute inside the leaf.
Unwrap at the table to release the aromatic steam, spoon the softened stuffing over the fish, and serve immediately with steamed rice and calamansi wedges for squeezing over the top.

Cook’s Notes

Pass banana leaves briefly over a gas flame or hot pan until they turn bright green and become pliable; this prevents cracking when you fold them.
Choose tilapia of similar size so they finish cooking at the same rate on the grill.
Do not overstuff the cavity or the aromatics will spill out and the leaf may split during flipping.
For extra heat, tuck 1 to 2 small bird's eye chilies into the stuffing before wrapping.
Any leftover fish can be flaked and stir-fried with garlic and day-old rice for a quick sinangag the next morning.