Healthy Eating with Chili Peppers: Seared Tilapia with Mango Pico de Gallo

This recipe pairs a nice piece of fish with a sweet, spicy, and tangy salsa without adding too many calories.

Ingredients:

Tilapia Filets (or any fish you prefer)

Chili Oil

Cajun Seasoning

One Medium Mango (Diced)

¼ Cup Red Onion (Diced)

2 to 3 Sweet Peppers (Diced)

1 to 2 Serrano Chilis (Minced)

1 Tablespoon Cilantro (Chopped)

1 to 2 Teaspoons Honey

1 to 2 Tablespoons Malt Vinegar

Directions:

For the Mango Pico de Gallo: Combine the fruit and veggies in a bowl and add the honey and vinegar. Mix well so that the honey dissolves. Instead of the malt vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or lime juice if preferred. I am using the malt vinegar hear because it pairs particularly well with the fish. As a substitute for the mango, you can add one cup of diced fresh pineapple. One serrano will get this salsa near Medium heat and two will get it to Hot.

For the Fish: Heat a skillet (cast iron works well for this) to medium-high heat. Coat one side of the fish with the chili oil and generously add the seasoning. Place into the skillet with the seasoned side down, and coat the other side with oil and seasoning. Cook each side about four to five minutes until flaky.

As a side, I did roast potatoes which I coated with chili oil and Cajun seasoning and cooked in the oven at 375 degrees about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times. I also garnished with sliced avocado.

The Mango Pico de Gallo delivers the sweetness you usually look for in a tartar sauce, while the malt vinegar gives that tang that pairs well with fish. But the calories are considerably less than that creamy sauce.