Run to the grocery store and stock-up on this yummy catfish belly, especially now its been acknowledged prices of all food groups are going up like the price of gas this summer. They’re easy to prepare and fun to consume (fish belly or pork belly are always fun) while watching your favorite game, right now, 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Last time I made this, I was out of rice flour which I usually use for light tempura batter, unlike the heavy breading of the chicken chain purveyors. But if you enjoy munching on thick, caloric stuff, go ahead and substitute the rice flour in this recipe (see link of thick fried chicken recipes here). This recipe uses unbleached cake flour blend leftover from my Christmas baking, and what a discovery. It mimics the light batter rice flour makes, ergo, not much fried oil in the goodies you consume and results in a crispy Catfish Nuggets Tempura.

“Flour-egg/buttermilk- flour” is not my usual route the way the Southerners do. Oh, they definitely like their breading thick, just look at their famous Southern Fried Chicken (again see recipes here).

Japanese chefs during their occupation of the Philippines gave us marching orders: tenpura a shiyo (loose translation, see here). Today, those smarty-pants have almost everyone liking ramen (mixed bag of college or upscale Momofuku type, available at these restaurants; don’t blame David Chang, he’s from NoVA) or sushi.

Ingredients:
Note: lbs/pounds - tsp/teaspoon - Tbsp/tablespoon

2 lbs catfish nuggets, cleaned with salt & rinsed
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 unbleached cake flour blend (see here) or rice flour
3 Tbsp ginger powder
3 Tbsp baking soda

Vinaigrette Dip:4 Tbsp rice wine or apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp garlic & parsley seasoning
1 tsp citrus seasoned soy sauce (see here)
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Rub catfish nuggets (they’re available sliced at the grocery store) with salt, then rinse completely.
2. Cook just before serving to enjoy its crispiness.
3. Heat oil to 350F as shown in thermometer (another test is sprinkle flour on oil, if it sizzles, it’s hot enough to put the fish), over medium high heat.
4. Meanwhile, cover a baking sheet pan with paper towel and top with a large cookie cooling rack for draining the cooked fish nuggets.
5. Mix flour, ginger and baking soda in a bowl.
6. Sprinkle salt on fish before coating with flour mixture.
7. Coat fish with flour, then shake off excess flour near the stove. With a long tong transfer coated fish to deep fry in a medium saucepan in batches, do not overcrowd saucepan for faster cooking. Fry until nuggets are brown about 1-1/2 minutes or so.
8. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked nuggets to drain on top of cookie cooling rack.
9. Serves 6 with vinaigrette dip.

SUV crosses median, lands on top of police cruiser. How convenient for the unhurt state patrol officer, only in NoVA.

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