Vietnamese Tilapia with Turmeric & Dill

Sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chile make a simple yet classic sauce—one that’s practically requisite at any Vietnamese meal. Here it’s drizzled over quick-cooking fish fillets.

• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno
• 6 medium scallions
• 1 small bunch fresh dill (about 3/4 oz.)
• 2 tilapia fillets (about 12 oz. total)
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. canola oil

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lime juice and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fish sauce and jalapeno. Set aside.

Trim the scallions and cut them into 2-inch-long pieces. Quarter the white and light-green pieces lengthwise; leave the dark-green pieces whole. Cut the dill into 2-inch-long pieces (you should have about 1/2 cup).

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the ginger, turmeric, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of black pepper all over the fillets.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tilapia and cook, flipping once, until just firm and opaque in the center of the thickest part, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the tilapia to two serving plates.

Add the scallions to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they just start to wilt, about 45 seconds. Add the dill and continue to cook until it has wilted slightly, about 15 seconds more. Pile the scallions and dill over the tilapia and serve the sauce on the side for drizzling.