Teriyaki Tilapia with Sticky Rice and Tamari Green Beans

This is another of my standby fish recipes. I discovered Kikkoman's teriyaki glaze a while ago in the Asian foods aisle and really enjoyed it. This is one of the only prepared sauces/marinades I buy. But the convenience and flavor are great. It's also very good on chicken. Since I buy frozen tilapia, I just make sure I thaw the fish completely before I begin the recipe. I've found that the frozen fish is often just as good as the fresh options since I don't usually get to the grocery store frequently enough to have fresh seafood around. And the convenience of frozen can't be beat when I'm never sure if I'll have time to cook on any particular night.

Overall, this is a fairly healthy meal. I often swap out the veggie for whatever I have on hand, or whatever's in season. Snap peas are very delicious this way. And by adding tamari instead of butter it adds lots of flavor without a lot of fat. If you don't have tamari, you can substitute soy sauce and it will almost be the same. And I love sesame seeds... so I tend to use a lot of them. I buy the sesame seeds already toasted from an Asian foods store and keep them in the fridge. Both the tamari and the teriyaki glaze are the low-sodium varieties. Because of the amount of Asian food I make I try to cut down on the sodium in the sauces I make. And I can't taste a difference.

For the sticky rice, any short gain will work but I've found that arborio or sushi rice works best. And the addition of the vinegar, sugar, and salt adds a delicious flavor and texture. This makes a little more rice than is necessary for 2 people... but Jeremy and I love our rice.

Recipe:

3 tilapia (or other white fish) fillets

3 tbs. Kikkoman teriyaki glaze

1 c. arborio (or sushi) rice
1 c. water
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
1/2 tbs. kosher salt

2 c. green beans (mine were frozen)
1 tsp. tamari
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Place in a small sauce pan with the water. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. When water is absorbed, turn off heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
2. While the rice is cooking, place fish fillets on a sheet tray and brush teriyaki glaze over them, spreading it evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until fish flakes. (Time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.)
3.  Place green beans in a microwave safe dish. Add 1/2 c. water. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes. (My microwave isn't very powerful... adjust accordingly.) Drain and add tamari and sesame seeds.
4. While the fish and veggies are cooking, mix vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cooked rice. Using a spatula, make cutting motions down into the bowl, rotating the bowl to coat grains. (I also stir every once in a while just to try to distribute it a little more evenly.)
5. Place rice into a mound on the plate. Top with fish and green beans. Sprinkle with a couple dashes of tamari and extra sesame seeds.