Escabeche Lapu Lapu is easy to make for family dinners yet fancy enough for special occasions. This Filipino-style sweet and sour fish with pickled vegetables and sweet and tangy sauce is delicious with steamed rice and sure to be a crowd favorite.
Escabeche Lapu-Lapu is one of my party favorites, but I don’t make it often as grouper fish is not always available at the Asian supermarkets I frequent, especially ones that are big enough to feed a crowd.
Although I think a hefty lapu-lapu would be more impressive at a special gathering, this Filipino sweet and sour sauce dish is delicious regardless of the size and kind of fish you use. With crisply-fried whole fish topped with colorful bell peppers, shredded papaya, and a delightful and tangy sauce, it’s sure to be a crowd favorite!
What is in escabeche
Escabeche is a dish popular in Latin and Mediterranean cuisine wherein meat or fish is marinated and cooked in acidic vinegar or citrus juices. Assorted vegetables such as peppers, onions, and carrots are also commonly added for color and texture.
Filipino escabeche is a local adaptation of this Spanish dish. It consists of fish that’s either poached or fried fish, smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce, and garnished with tender-crisp vegetables such as bell peppers and shredded papaya.
This sweet and sour fish recipe has three components, frying the fish, preparing the vegetables, and making the sauce.
The fish
- The recipe uses lapu-lapu or grouper, but any firm-fleshed fish such as tilapia, red snapper (Maya Maya), tanigue, pampano, apahap, or talikitok will work.
- Season the cleaned fish with salt and pepper to taste and fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. You can also steam or poach if preferred.
The vegetables
- I like to use a colorful mix of shredded papaya, julienned bell peppers, garlic, onions, and ginger for flavor. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables great for pickling, such as carrots, red onions, radish (labanos), cucumbers, celery, and cauliflower.
- For the best texture, cook the vegetables until tender yet crisp.
The sweet and sour sauce
- The sauce is made of vinegar and sugar with added ketchup for color and cornstarch for thickening.
- If you prefer less acidic and more of a fruity taste, swap part or all of the vinegar with pineapple juice.
How to serve and store
- Serve with steamed rice for lunch or dinner.
- Although other variants of escabeche can be eaten cold, this Filipino version is best enjoyed hot and fresh or, at the very least, at room temperature, as the sauce tends to congeal as it stands. For the best texture, top the fried fish with the vegetables and sauce when ready to serve.
- To store leftovers, wrap the fish tightly in foil and keep the vegetables and sauce in separate containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
