Salt And Pepper Fried Catfish Recipe

Unless you're from the South, catfish might not be the first fish that comes to mind when thinking of a fish fry. Found in the deep, covered beds of rivers and lakes, catfish tends to get a bad rap for its muddy flavor and gritty texture. Prepared well, though, catfish is one of the best fish for frying, being that it is both dense and flaky. To avoid the characteristically muddiness, catfish requires some flavoring techniques, such as buttermilk brines and cornmeal coating.

Developer Michelle McGlinn offers another way to flavor catfish in this salt and pepper fried catfish recipe. Using the techniques of Chinese salt and pepper squid, she brines the catfish in Shaoxing wine and sesame before coating it in white pepper and potato starch. The starchy breading is fried into a light and airy crust and then fried again with spicy chiles, scallions, and garlic for an irresistibly good stir-fry snack. If you're looking for new ways to use catfish, this Chinese-inspired recipe is the perfect place to start.

The main ingredient for this recipe is, of course, the catfish. Avoid catfish steaks and instead opt for a few catfish filets or a pound of catfish nuggets. Because this recipe works best with fish that fries quickly, choose thin pieces without any skin. From the pantry, you'll need Shaoxing wine (or mirin), sesame oil, potato starch, flour, baking soda, dried Thai chiles, garlic, white pepper, and salt. From your fridge, grab a few eggs, some scallions, and a few fresh green chiles. To fry the catfish, you'll just need a neutral, mild-flavored oil like canola or vegetable.

Slice the catfish into 1-inch pieces.

Combine the Shaoxing wine and sesame oil in a bowl.

Add the catfish and marinate for 20 minutes.

Heat 4 cups oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

To test the oil, carefully drop a piece of flour into the oil. When it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.

Combine the potato starch, flour, baking soda, white pepper, salt, and eggs in a bowl.

Remove the catfish from the wine marinade and add it to the batter. Toss to coat.

When the oil is hot, add the catfish and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Work in batches, as needed.

Remove the catfish from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a wok.

Add the scallions, garlic, and chiles and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not allow the garlic to burn.

Add the catfish and toss with the aromatics.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

We know that potato is in itself a versatile starch, but did you know that it can be crushed and dehydrated into a powder and used in even more diverse ways? Potato starch is a large granule that absorbs moisture and concentrates it, which makes it perfect for using in fried foods like catfish and chicken where a crispy crust is key. In the case of Korean fried chicken and Japanese chicken karaage, potato starch is even considered a magic ingredient that transforms the breading into a light and airy, crispy crust. Unlike when you use only flour, potato starch prevents the activation of gluten and keeps the crust from getting too chewy.

Despite its usefulness, potato starch isn't always the easiest thing to find. If you can't find it in the flour and starches aisle of your grocery store, try an Asian grocery that specializes in Korean food products. If that isn't an option either, swap the potato starch for the similar cornstarch. You can also swap in potato flour, rice flour, or tapioca starch, which aren't quite the same but offer their own benefits for crunchy coatings.

Salt and pepper catfish, like the squid equivalent, can be used as a main course with a few filling sides. Consider the meal a takeout order: If you order a fried protein, you might also want a side of rice or some simple lo mein noodles to accompany them. You could also prepare a cucumber salad, saucy tofu, or stir-fried eggplant and bok choy. If salt and pepper catfish is your main course, appetizers such as dumplings in chile oil, spring rolls, and scallion pancakes would round out the fried entree.

You can also serve salt and pepper catfish as an appetizer or side dish since the crunchy, spicy pieces make for a shareable plate. Serve the catfish alongside beef skewers and bao buns, or as a side dish to beef and broccoli, mapo tofu, and chicken fried rice. Whichever you choose, make sure you serve catfish right after cooking or the batter might get soggy while you wait.