Lena Abraham is a freelance contributor with Delish, and was formerly Senior Food Editor, where she developed and styled recipes for video and photo, and also stayed on top of current food trends. She’s been working in the food industry for over 10 years, and will argue that the best fish tacos in the world are made in New York. Don’t @ her.
Somewhere between Japanese katsu and Southern-style fried catfish lies this delightfully comforting and hearty dinner. It's inspired by the fried catfish sandwiches I grew up eating as a kid, and the delicious chicken katsu I love as an adult!
Flaky, buttermilk-brined catfish is accompanied by a crunchy slaw (in place of katsu’s standard shredded cabbage) and some white rice. To finish, drizzle with tartar and katsu sauce. The latter is commonly found in grocery stores, but if you can’t track it down we include a recipe for it in our Chicken Katsu recipe; you likely already have the ingredients needed!
Feeding more than 2? The catfish recipe can easily be doubled (no need to double the oil though) and the slaw can be stretched to accommodate 4, or doubled for a veggie-loving crowd.
Pro tip: Flipping a piece of fish in hot oil can be intimidating. For a safe flipping experience, slide your spatula under the fillet, tilt it up to begin flipping it, and use another spatula or a large wooden spoon to catch the fillet on its uncooked side. Slowly remove the second utensil so the fish gently reenters the hot oil, reducing the chances of splashing.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
- Yields:
- 2 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 25 mins
- Total Time:
- 2 hrs 45 mins
Ingredients
For catfish
- 3/4 c.
buttermilk
- 1 tbsp.
hot sauce (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2
catfish fillets (each about 3 to 5 oz.)
- 3/4 c.
yellow cornmeal
- 2 tbsp.
all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp.
paprika
- 1 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1
(24-fl oz.) bottle vegetable oil, for frying (3 c.)
For slaw
- 1/3 c.
mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp.
Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp.
granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp.
celery seeds (optional)
- 1/4
medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2
medium carrots, grated
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
White rice
Katsu sauce
Tartar sauce
Directions
- Step 1In a large bowl or resealable bag, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add catfish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.
- Step 2In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and celery seeds, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Add cabbage and carrots and toss until well coated in the dressing. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Step 3In a large shallow bowl, whisk to combine cornmeal, flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Remove one catfish fillet from buttermilk mixture and lightly shake to remove excess buttermilk. Coat in cornmeal mixture and place on a large plate. Repeat with additional fillet.
- Step 4Fill a 12” high-sided skillet with oil (it should come up about halfway), and line a large plate with paper towels. Heat over medium until oil reaches 350°, then fry catfish until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Step 5To serve, add a scoop of slaw and rice to each plate and top with catfish. Drizzle fillets with katsu and tartar sauce.
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