Instructions

1. Defrost the tilapia and pat away any excess water with paper towels.

2. Roll the tilapia in flour until evenly coated, using coconut flour or all-purpose flour.

3. Dredge the flour-coated tilapia in a mixture of beaten egg diluted with a bit of milk to make it easier to coat the tilapia. The flour absorbs the egg mixture and keeps it on the fish.

4. Roll the egg-dipped tilapia in a mixture of equal parts unsweetened shredded coconut and your choice of bread crumbs. Use bread crumbs made from toasted bread or Japanese-style panko. Coat the tilapia thoroughly with the coconut mixture, and shake off any excess.

5. Bake the tilapia on a baking tray, or fry it in hot oil in a skillet until the coconut coating is golden brown and the internal temperature of the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. It only takes a few minutes for each side to fry the coconut tilapia to the desired temperature, but it takes about 20 minutes when baked in an oven set at about 400 F. Cook times also vary, depending on the thickness of the tilapia filets, so check the temperature with an instant-read digital meat thermometer rather than relying on time or color as an indication of doneness.