Tilapia is a popular freshwater fish that is commonly farm-raised. It has a mild, slightly sweet taste. To lessen any slightly "muddy" flavors, soak the tilapia in buttermilk for an hour before cooking. When you are ready to cook the tilapia, simply rinse it and continue with the recipe.
Most tilapia is sold in fillet form, though you may be able to find a whole fish in your market. It performs well, and has the best flavor, in recipes where it is pan-fried and allowed to crisp and brown, baked with a crispy coating in the oven or dipped in batter and deep-fried. Relishes, chutneys and salsas add flavor and offer a contrasting texture to the crisped fish. Broiling tilapia or cooking it in a flavorful sauce are also great ways to add flavor to the mild-tasting flesh.
Tilapia is cooked when the flesh begins to flake and becomes opaque.
