Crispy Catfish Curry
July 8th, 2009 | View Comments
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
So I went grocery shopping yesterday, all proud of myself that I’d remembered our re-usable grocery bags. I happily loaded stuff into my cart, despaired over the lack of shiitakes and garam masala, and then headed for the checkout.
Only to discover I’d forgotten my wallet. I put everything back, sniffing that maybe I didn’t want to buy a roast chicken anyways. We had frozen gyoza for dinner last night.
Today’s grocery shopping was a bit more successful, not least because I went to a different store that does carry shiitakes (but still no garam masala). Got home, whipped the stuff into the fridge/pantry, and set to work making dinner.
This is based an Emeril recipe. Now, I find his on-screen persona to be as appealing as the love child of a walrus and a woodpecker, but his food is really good. But I still took it upon myself to change up the recipe a little.
Crispy Catfish Curry
Adapted from Emeril Live
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Dried thyme
Garlic powder
Paprika
1 – 1 1/2 lbs. catfish fillets
1/2 c. grapeseed oil
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2-3 T. red curry paste
2 T. soy sauce
2 c. low-salt chicken broth
1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, optionally cut in half
1 8-oz. can bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 c. basil, chopped
1 15-oz. can straw mushrooms, drained
Season the all-purpose flour to taste with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, and paprika. Dredge the catfish fillets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch, straight-sided sauté pan until it shimmers. Fry the catfish fillets until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the fillets to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour out all but 2 T. of the fat and return the pan to the heat.
Add the bell peppers and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the curry paste and soy sauce, stirring to combine. Pour in the stock, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the bamboo shoots and straw mushrooms and stir to combine. Season the curry to taste with salt. Add the catfish fillets, using the spatula to break each fillet into 6-8 pieces. Cook until everything is heated through, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil.
Serve over steamed white rice.
That’s the way I made it tonight. I like the tomatoes for a little extra color and nutrition. In the past I’ve also added a can of drained chunk pineapple for some sweetness.
I use the pre-made red curry paste from Thai Kitchen, mostly because it’s easy (to use and to find in a grocery store). But once I made my own curry paste from scratch using the recipe from Emeril, and oh man, does it make a difference. I’m going to have to do that again one of these days.
This meal comes to about $6 per serving. Here’s the budget breakdown:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 1.3 lbs catfish fillets | $8.33 |
| 1 yellow bell pepper | $1.79 |
| 32 oz. package low-salt chicken broth | $1.99 |
| 1 8-oz. can bamboo shoots | $1.19 |
| 1 15-oz. can straw mushrooms | $2.19 |
| 1 package cherry tomatoes | $3.99 |
| 1 package basil | $3.89 |
| Total | $23.37 |
Pantry ingredients: Garlic, oil, spices
Leftover ingredients: Basil, chicken broth
Yvonne posted this on July 8th, 2009 @ 10:20pm in Fish, One Pot Meals, Thai | Permalink to "Crispy Catfish Curry"
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Likes to cook, eat, grow herbs, and collect kitchen gear in Houston, TX. 
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