CHAT MINGKWAN"S CATFISH CLAY POT CA KHO TO

CHAT MINGKWAN

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/2 pounds catfish filet cut to bite size
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 T minced ginger
1 T minced cilantro roots or stems
1/4 C fish sauce, more to taste
2 T Oil
3 T chopped garlic
1/4 C chopped shallot
1/3 to 1/2 C caramel syrup (below)
3 stalks green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
lemon or lime juice to taste

Steps:

Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry In a mixing bowl combine the fish with pepper, ginger, cilantro, and fish sauce. Gently fold to mix and marinate for 15 minutes. In a medium clay pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Then add garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until light brown and fragrant, abut 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and then add the catfish to the pot, reserve the marinade if there is any. Quickly sear the catfish on both sides and then add 1/3 cup of the caramel, any marinade and green onions. Reduce the heat to simmer and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. The liquid should be reduced to thick syrup. Add the lemon juice to taste. Check the fish to see if it is done. If there is too much watery sauce, take the fish out first and raise the heat to reduce the sauce in half. Return the fish to the thick sauce and heat and serve from the clay pot. Serve over rice if you wish. Caramel syrup: combine 1/8 C water with 1 C sugar and cook until deep dark brown, nearly to burn. Add 1/4 C water. When it is dissolved, add 1 T lemon or lime juice.