Dried catfish is a treasured delicacy in much of the world. It is prized for its intense umami flavour and chewy texture.
However, dried catfish recipes are no longer restrained to traditional cooking methods and ingredients.
With its growing popularity, people have started using this delicacy in various recipes.
From spicy stews to crispy snacks, dried catfish packs a punch and adds depth to any recipe.
Today we’ll explore three dried catfish recipes that are unique in their way yet suitable for the modern palate.
So, put on your apron and dive into the dried catfish cuisine!
Dried Catfish with Creamy Butter and Sea-Salted Hazelnuts
This dish is a restaurant-style appetiser curated by the Michelin Star Chef, Gunnar Karl Gíslason.
Make it on date night or to wow your guests at the next dinner feast. Here’s how simple it is:
Serving:
Makes 12 small restaurant-style serving.
Ingredients:
- 50 to 60 gms of Dried catfish
For Dill Oil:
- ½ a cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 bunches of fresh dill
- 1 cup of grapeseed oil
For Salted Hazelnuts:
- 2 ½ tablespoons of coarse sea salt
- ½ a cup of hazelnuts
For Creamed Butter:
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of butter, salted
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- ½ a teaspoon of sea salt
Method:
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Next, in a pan, add 2 cups of water and sea salt and boil. Let the water boil until only 1 cup remains. Then add hazelnuts to it and let it boil for 8 minutes. Stirring every 2 minutes.
- Next, sieve the hazelnuts out of the water. And place in a tray for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Once the hazelnuts have cooled down, add them to the baking tray in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until completely dry-roasted.
- While the hazelnuts are roasting, add vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and boil over medium heat. Let it simmer for another 8 minutes or until it turns into a syrup-like texture. Remove from the stove and let cool.
- While the sugar syrup cools, add fresh dill and grape seed oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture once, removing any solids.
- Add the remaining liquid back into the blender along with the sugar syrup and blend. The dill oil is ready.
- Next, in a saucepan, add butter and melt. Melt it over medium-high heat until it browns. Immediately transfer to a heat-safe bowl and let cool.
- While the butter cools, in a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add two eggs to it and boil for exactly 4 minutes. While the eggs boil, prepare an ice bath.
- After the 4 min mark, remove the eggs from the boil and add to the ice bath to halt the cooking process.
- Next, crack the par-boiled eggs and add them into a blender. Followed by salt, burned butter, dill oil and salt. Blend until the ingredients emulsify. The creamy butter is ready.
- Last, take the dried catfish and coarsely chop it. Then add to a food processor or blender and whiz until completely powdered.
Plate:
- Line 12 soup spoons in a tray.
- First, add a huge dollop of creamed butter to each spoon.
- Generously, drizzle the creamed butter with dill oil.
- Followed by a heaped amount of dried catfish powder.
- Lastly, grate small amounts of hazelnut on top for the perfect nutty flavour and serve.
You may also like: Catfish Nuggets Recipes
Catfish Pinwheels with Bleu Cheese, Dried Cherries and Arugula
This recipe requires the use of dried catfish for two reasons:
- It adds a fantastic crunch.
- It adds a pack of lean protein without the need to cook.
Ingredients
For wrap:
- 2 large dried catfish fillets
- 3 cups of arugula
- 7 wraps or flatbread
For blue cheese spread:
- 8-ounce of cream cheese softened
- ½ a cup of bleu cheese
- ½ a cup of dried cherries
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Method:
Bleu Cheese Spread:
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, bleu cheese, dried cherries, salt and pepper. Mix on high for 3 minutes or until completely incorporated.
Assemble:
- Lay your choice of wrap or bread onto the counter. Spread a generous layer of Bleu Cheese Spread. Add a layer of crisp dried catfish, and top with a thin layer of arugula.
- Starting at one end, tightly roll up the flatbread. Repeat the same process with the remaining flatbreads. Cover each with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to chill before slicing.
- Once chilled, slice 1-inch pieces and place them on a serving tray.
This recipe will make around 40 bite-sized pinwheels, enough to serve at a small party or picnic.
Note- In case you dislike the crunch of dried catfish, Here’s one way of doing it -you can also dehydrate the catfish before use.
You may also like: How To Make Catfish Tacos
Dried Catfish Balachaung
Balachaung is a condiment made using dried shrimp, but in this case, we will make it using catfish. It is popularly served as is, used as a sauce, and even as a base for a marinade.
It’s best made with shrimp; however, for dried catfish lovers, this recipe is a perfect hit.
Here’s all that you need to make this delicious dried catfish recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of dried catfish, shredded in a blender
- 1 yellow onion, sliced into halves, longitudinally
- 1 cup of oil
- 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 Tbsp of dried red chilli pepper
- 2 Tbsp of distilled white vinegar
- 2 tsp of granulated sugar
Method:
- Begin by heating a skillet and frying the onions with turmeric for about three minutes. Add garlic and continue. Until both turn golden brown. This may take 6 minutes.
- Next, add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for 3 more minutes or until everything is well incorporated.
- Remove from heat and cool before serving.
- It can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for several days.
Use over a bed of rice for lunch, top over a fried egg for breakfast or as a mid-day snack with chips.
For more such appetising dried catfish recipes, subscribe to Kabaia Foods Newsletter. Also, let us know in the comments below if you have tried any recipe and how it turned out.
Feel free to use the comment section too if you have any questions about these recipes.
