Thai Crispy Catfish in Red Curry Sauce

Method

1. Clean 400g catfish and cut it into thin steaks of about 1cm.
2. Pour plenty of oil into a pan. Fry 1 handful of holy basil leaves and 3 to 4 dried hot chilies until crisp, then lift them out and set them aside.
3. Fry the fish next until it is properly crisp. Lift the fish out, pour off most of the oil and leave about 3 tablespoons in the pan.
4. Fry 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste over medium heat until fragrant. Add 50ml water, 2 to 2.5 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and stir until smooth.
5. Add 2 tablespoons shredded fingerroot, 3 to 4 shredded Thai kaffir lime leaves, 2 sprigs green peppercorns and 1 sliced horn chili, stir them through, then return the fish and toss for about 20 seconds before turning off the heat.
6. Fold in the fried holy basil and dried chilies, give it one last toss and turn it onto a plate. It works on its own or with hot rice.

Tips

• Holy basil is what Vietnamese markets sell for steam inhalation, and it is not the same as Thai basil.
• Ngai bun (fingerroot) is the rhizome used for Chau Doc fish noodle soup, and it can be left out when it is nowhere to be found.
• Thai red curry paste is sold at supermarkets and Thai food stalls.
• Catfish can be swapped for snakehead fish or thinly cut basa.
• Toss the fish with the sauce for exactly 20 seconds then kill the heat, since longer costs the pieces their crunch.
• Drain the fried holy basil on kitchen paper and scatter it just before serving so it stays crisp.