Combine the lime juice, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
¼ cup lime juice, 1.5 tablespoons cumin, 1.5 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon pepper
Add in the tilapia and mix until coated.
2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut in half
Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 20 minutes or so.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions and cook until they begin to thaw, about 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and marinated tilapia and mix them in.
14 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
Pour the coconut milk over everything, mix and cover, and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14 ounces light unsweetened coconut milk
In the last few minutes, stir in the cilantro (optional).
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
When the tilapia is cooked through, garnish with additional cilantro (if desired) and serve.
Video
Notes
Make the marinade and coat the tilapia ahead of time (even the night before!) and store in the refrigerator. This will save time when you are ready to cook.
Marinating time is optional. Marinating results in the best flavor, but the times that I have skipped that step because of time constraints, the stew still turned out delicious.
If you want to use fresh peppers and onions, use 2 large bell peppers, cut into strips, and 1 medium onion, chopped.
The coconut milk may be a little lumpy when you first add it, but as it cooks it will combine with the rest of the stew.
The fish is done when it starts to flake as you stir. It is best to not overcook, so pay attention and remove from heat when that happens.