Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 skinless catfish fillets
- 2 T. sugar
- 1 T. vegetable oil
- 1 T. sesame oil
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup hot fish or chicken stock
- 3 T. fish sauce
- 1 crushed dried chile
- 6-8 sprigs cilantro
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 3 green onions
Preparation:
Cut the catfish fillets into three pieces each. Slice the green onions into 1-inch lengths.
In a clay pot, Dutch oven or other large lidded pot, add the sugar and a splash of water -- just enough to moisten the sugar. heat this over medium heat until it begins to brown.
Stir the sugar and mix in the garlic, the dried chile and the two oils. Let this cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two and then add the fish sauce, the hot fish stock and mix well. Lay in the catfish pieces in a layer if possible -- you don't want them clumped together.
Turn all the catfish pieces so they are coated well with the sauce, then drop the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook at a slow simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Uncover the pot, turn the heat up to medium and let the sauce reduce until it is thick, about 3-4 minutes.
To serve, arrange on steamed rice and garnish with the green onions and the cilantro. Grind black pepper over the top at the end.