Crispy Catfish with Onions and Ginger
Whenever our family gets together for dinner at my parents’ house, this dish is usually on the menu. To make it, catfish fillets are cut into pieces and panfried to a golden crisp. When the fish is removed from the pan, the oil that remains is used to sauté onion and ginger into a heady mixture that is finished with fish sauce and water and then served like a relish. Most catfish sold today are farm-raised and thus lean, so don’t skimp on the oil. Also, the fish splatters during frying, so you might want to use a splatter guard and/or put newspaper on the floor around the stove to speed cleanup.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To cut each fillet into equal-sized pieces that will cook evenly, first cut off a 2 1/2-inch piece from the thin, flat end of the fillet. Then halve the fillet lengthwise and cut the halves into 2- to 2 1/2-inch-long pieces. Set aside near the stove.
Step 2
Turn the oven on to warm (175° to 200°F). Pour in enough oil to film the bottom (6 to 7 tablespoons) of a 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the fish, laying the pieces flat in the skillet. The fish shrinks during frying, so you can crowd it a bit. Fry the fish, undisturbed, for 12 minutes, or until the bottom edges are deeply golden.
Step 3
Using chopsticks or a spatula, turn each piece over; expect some sputtering and splattering. The cooked side should be orange-yellow and very crispy; tap it to check. Fry the second side for about 7 minutes, or until deeply golden and crispy. If the pan gets too hot and the fish starts to burn rather than brown, lower the heat slightly. Transfer the fish to a paper towel–lined plate and slip it into the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces, adding more oil if needed.
Step 4
When all the fish is fried, lower the heat to medium-low. There should be a generous 2 tablespoons oil remaining in the pan; add or discard oil as necessary. Add the onion and ginger and sauté gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have collapsed to about one-third of their original volume. If the pan ever seems dry, splash in some water or add extra oil.
Step 5
Add the fish sauce mixture, stir to incorporate, and raise the heat to medium-high. When the mixture begins to bubble, turn off the heat. Let sit for a few minutes. The liquid will thicken into a light sauce.
Step 6
Make a bed of the onion and ginger on a platter, reserving a bit of the sauce. Arrange the catfish on top and drizzle on the reserved sauce. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.
