Nga Sipyan - Slow Cooked Fish Fillets

This is a Burmese dish.  The holy trinity or mirepoix in Burmese cooking is pureed/pounded onions, garlic and soaked dried red chillies. 'Nga' means fish and 'Sipyan' means 'oil returns'.  So that I don't have to skimp on the oil, I use a healthy oil such as extra-light olive oil in all my cooking.  The other thing to keep in mind is that for the full flavour to develop, this dish must be simmered on low heat for as long as it takes for the liquid to evaporate and the oil to return to the surface.

Ingredients:

1 lb. tilapia fish fillets, or any white fish

Marinade:
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. turmeric 
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Gravy:
2 small onions, quartered
6 garlic cloves, halved
2 dried red chillies, soaked
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. paprika
Zest of 1 lime
Cilantro, chopped
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Cut each fish fillet in 2-3 pieces, pour marinade over fish and set aside.
2. Bring one cup of water to a boil and blanch onion and garlic.
3. Strain onion and garlic, keeping hot water on a low simmer for later use.
4. Puree onion, garlic, chillies, tomatoes, paprika and lime zest.
5. Heat oil over high heat and add pureed ingredients.
6. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until oil resurfaces.
7. Add the reserved hot water and bring to a boil.
8. Add fish along with marinade and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes.
9. Adjust seasoning and garnish with cilantro.
10. Serve over a bed of hot cooked rice or Ohn Htamin.