Learn how to make crispy fried catfish that melts in your mouth

Eating catfish immediately brings to mind the Southern lands. Today, let's join PasGo in the kitchen and learn how to make simple, crispy fried catfish with the flavors of the South!

For those from the Western region, catfish is the most familiar. During a week in Can Tho, I had the opportunity to enjoy catfish hotpot, braised catfish, and crispy fried catfish. Looking at the elongated, small catfish, slightly resembling loaches, what makes this type of fish special is that it can be eaten with both its fat and intestines, which are very rich and refreshing. Mr. Tuan told me that the reason why you can eat the intestines is that catfish only nibble on air bubbles, living on transient food, very clean. Among the delicious dishes made from catfish, today I would like to share with you how to make delicious crispy fried catfish that goes perfectly with rice, true to the taste of the Mekong Delta.

Ingredients for crispy fried catfish:

(Serving for 3 people)

- Catfish: 500g

- Chicken eggs: 3 pieces

- Ripened tamarind: 150g

- Garlic: 1 bulb

- Horn peppers: 2 pieces

- Lime: 1 piece

- Various aromatic herbs: 150g

- Tapioca starch: 30g

- Various spices: salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce, MSG, sugar, pepper, chili powder.

How to make crispy fried catfish:

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

- After buying the catfish, put it in a basin, add lime juice and 5 tablespoons of salt, cover tightly, and shake the basin lightly to remove the sliminess. Then rinse the fish thoroughly, drain the water, sprinkle a little salt on the fish to prevent it from spoiling.

- Put the ripe tamarind in boiling water, then squeeze it by hand until it dissolves completely, strain out the residue, and collect the tamarind water in a separate bowl.

- Peel and crush the garlic, then finely chop it.

- Slice the chili peppers into thin slices.

- Pick and wash aromatic herbs thoroughly, you can soak them in diluted salt water to ensure hygiene, then remove and drain them. Arrange the herbs on a plate.

- Put tapioca starch in a bowl, add some filtered water and egg yolks, then stir until well dissolved.

Step 2: Prepare the fish

- Pour cooking oil into a pan, wait for the oil to heat up, then dip the catfish into the batter bowl and fry in the pan until the fish turns evenly golden brown on all sides.

- Take out the catfish, place it in a basket lined with oil-absorbing paper.

Step 3: Prepare the tamarind sauce

- In another pan, sauté the garlic until golden with cooking oil and a pinch of chili powder to create an enticing color.

- Pour the tamarind juice, dissolved tapioca starch into the pan; adjust the heat to medium-low, add a little seasoning powder, MSG, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, and sliced chili peppers to taste. Continue cooking until the tamarind sauce thickens.

Pour the tamarind sauce into a small bowl.

The steps in making crispy fried catfish are complete. Perhaps, people have eaten fried fish a lot. In the North, we often use fish with ginger fish sauce, while in the South, there's a very distinctive tamarind fish sauce. Each piece of crispy fried fish blends perfectly with the eggs, accompanied by fragrant herbs, and the sweet and sour tamarind sauce.

Despite being accustomed to the flavors of Northern cuisine, I still absolutely love fried catfish. Unfortunately, catfish is somewhat rare here, and it's not always possible to send it by plane from the South. Now, whenever the craving strikes, I have the best option, which is to go to Saigon Delicious Dish for a satisfying meal.

I like this restaurant because it's quite close to home, located right on Huynh Thuc Khang Street – the culinary street of Dong Da district. The atmosphere here is comfortable, especially with dishes from the Mekong Delta that are incomparable. Amidst the elegance and gentleness of Hanoi, we encounter a Saigon full of openness, frankness, and sincerity. It's also fate that we meet.

Remember to book a table through PasGo - The network of delicious restaurants here to receive many surprising offers!

>> Check out the latest deals from Saigon Delicious Dish HERE!

Restaurant address: Saigon Delicious Dish Restaurant – 59A Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Compiled by Thanh Hang – PasGo.vn

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