Catfish in Pan-Asian style
1 serving
360 minutes
Catfish in a Pan-Asian style is the harmony of Thai cuisine embodied in a delicate, aromatic dish. Based on traditional Asian ingredients, this recipe combines juicy catfish fillet marinated in coconut milk with lemon sorghum and chili, with a refreshing vegetable garnish infused with sesame oil and lime juice. The deep flavor is complemented by airy rice noodle 'chips' and a spicy unagi sauce that envelops the fish in a warm smoky aroma. Each element complements one another, creating a balanced dish perfect for a special dinner or a gastronomic journey into the world of Eastern flavors.
1
All ingredients for the salad undergo heat treatment: lime, fresh cucumber, daikon, carrot, cilantro leaves, frisée lettuce, and arugula, roasted white and black sesame, and for an Asian aroma - a couple of drops of sesame oil.
2
For the catfish marinade, you will need chili pepper, canned coconut milk, lemon grass (also known as lemongrass, lemon herb, and lemon sticks) - this plant is used as a spice in Asian and Caribbean cuisines, it is very aromatic and rich in essential oils; unagi sauce based on smoked eel (smoked eel, soy sauce, sugar, rice cooking wine mirin, rice vinegar mitsukan).
3
For decoration, you will need rice starch noodles (harusame), black and white sesame, cilantro leaves, a slice of lime, and chili pepper.
4
We cut the catfish fillet without skin and bones diagonally with a very sharp knife, as the fish has a very delicate and loose structure.
5
For the marinade, we cut lemon sorghum diagonally, finely chop chili pepper with seeds (the seeds will give the fish a slightly spicy aftertaste), add coconut milk — it should slightly cover the fish, add cilantro leaves, squeeze fresh lime juice (about 1 tablespoon), mix everything and marinate the fish for 4-6 hours.
6
For the garnish, we peel the daikon and cut it, slice the radish, carrot, and cucumber, mix all the ingredients and add sesame, add a few drops of sesame oil for enhancement and aroma, lime juice, salt and pepper, add sesame and gently mix the salad to avoid bruising the leaves.
7
Remove the catfish fillet from the marinade, dry it on a napkin, lightly salt and pepper it, then coat it in tempura and fry it in vegetable oil heated to 160 degrees until golden brown.
8
For decoration, we fry the noodles in the same fryer until they become airy (5 seconds), then lightly salt them — this noodle will add fluffiness to our salad.
9
First, we place airy 'chips' made of noodles on the plate, then carefully mound the mixed salad on top to give it volume. We arrange the cooked fish around the garnish and drizzle with hot, but not boiling, unagi sauce.
10
Garnish with chili pepper, a slice of lime (you can squeeze its juice into the finished dish), and sprinkle with cilantro leaves and sesame.