2 habanero pepper
6 garlic
1 rosemary branch
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
Oil, for frying
Ask your fishmonger to gut, trim, and scale the fish. Once you get the fish home, clean the it thoroughly, specially the inner cavity. Trim the fins and tail if desired. Score a diagonal criss-cross pattern across the fish body on both sides.
Rub some salt, black pepper, garlic and turmeric powder on the fish.
Mix the spices and rub the spice paste generously on to the inner cavities and outside of the whole pomfret.
Heat oil on medium heat in a flat-bottomed non-stick pan. The oil should come up to the side of the fish. Heat the oil until it is smoking hot. Add habanero pepper, garlic and rosemary branch
Add the tilapia and turn the heat to medium.
Fry the fish for about 8-10 minutes on each side. To turn the fish, slowly scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the fish. If the fish is ready, it should be very easy to loosen the fish. While frying, occasionally tilt the pan from side to side, so that the head and tail get submerged and crisped along with the mid-section of the fish.
Serve the fried whole tilapia