I always treasure conversations about food with friends from other countries. I find it exciting to learn why certain meats, produce, spices and cooking methods are used in various countries. It’s also fascinating to hear about the similarities and differences between identical foods that are raised or grown in different countries.
For example, it’s been years since I chatted with a dear family friend from Belize about the produce grown in her homeland. But, I still remember how passionate she was when describing how much better bananas taste in the little Caribbean country that she once called home than they taste here in the United States. In fact, by the end of our conversation, I almost wanted to take a trip to Belize just so that I could taste the bananas and see if she was right. For the record, that hasn’t happened yet. However, if I am able to visit Belize at some point, I’d also want to eat a few plantains, which look like over-sized, thick-skinned conventional bananas.
Speaking of plantains, they actually have higher levels vitamins C and A, more potassium, as well as more fiber than bananas. So, I’ve been eager to find more recipes that allow me to incorporate this starchy fruit into some of our meals. This is why I was so excited recently to learn about the Belizean dish called Fish Sere.
Fish Sere is a popular stew or chowder that always contains fish and plantains. But, I discovered after doing a bit of research that some of the other ingredients will vary depending upon who is making it. Keep reading to find out what I included in my Belizean Fish Sere Bowl so you’ll know what to buy if you want to make this quick, yet filling dish for your family. Feel free to use the links included in the recipe to buy some of the ingredients I used and please keep in mind that, if you make a purchase using a link, I will earn a small commission from qualifying purchases that will help me to continue to produce content like this on my blog.
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What You’ll Need To Make 15-Minute Belizean Fish Sere Bowl (Six servings)
*3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
*4 Tilapia Filets, cut into 1-inch pieces
*1.5 Cans of Coconut Cream (or Coconut Milk)
*1 Cup of Sliced Carrots
*1 Teaspoon of Onion Granules
*2 Green Plantains, sliced
*1 Teaspoon of Salt
*1 Teaspoon of Pepper
*6 Cups of Cooked Brown Rice (You can either use leftover rice or the options listed in the “Recipe Notes” that follow the article.)
15-Minute Belizean Fish Sere Bowl
1. Heat olive oil in the pan on medium high heat. Then, sautee the fish for 3 minutes. Be sure to turn over the pieces midway through to ensure the pieces are cooked through.
2. Add the sliced carrots and plantains to the pot.
3. Pour the coconut cream into the pot.
4. Stir in the onion granules, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and allow the stew to cook on high for 12 minutes. While the stew is cooking on the stove, heat up your rice in the microwave. (See “Recipe Notes” for rice options.)
5. Taste the stew after it has been cooking for about 5 minutes. If it needs more salt or pepper, this would be the time to sprinkle in a bit more. (Be careful to not add too much.)
6. When the soup is ready, put the rice into individual bowls and then layer the stew on top of the rice.
7. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
1. Many versions of the recipe use red snapper, but I chose to use tilapia for a couple of reasons. First, I already knew that my family likes tilapia. Second, some reports indicate that tilapia has lower levels of mercury than red snapper, so I thought it would be a better choice for my family.
2. If you don’t have leftover rice on hand, you can do as I did and layer your fish sere on top of microwaveable, frozen brown rice. You could also use frozen white rice. Frozen rice can be found on Amazon or at such stores as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Jewel, Safeway, Pete’s Fresh Market, Meijer, King Sooper’s and Target, among others.
3. Other quick options for your bowl’s base include shelf-stable brown rice. You could also use frozen cauliflower rice if you’re trying to incorporate more vegetables into your family’s diet.
4. Quite a bit of the liquid or broth in my sere was absorbed by the rice once I layered all my ingredients into serving bowls. If you want to have more liquid in your finished dish, feel free to use 2 full cans of coconut cream (or 2 cans of coconut milk) in your recipe.
