Follow us:

Catfish with Black and Red Beans in Coconut Cream

Ryan went fishing again for a couple of hours last weekend, and he caught 3 big catfish. Last night, he asked me to cook this...
I simply call it Catfish with Black and Red Beans in Coconut Cream. This is one of our favorite ways of enjoying his freshly caught catfish. Filipinos love anything cooked in coconut milk/cream, you know. We call it ginataan. We cook anything with gata (coconut milk/cream): from beef, pork, poultry and seafood to vegetables and fruits. I've featured some ginataan recipes here already like the Ginataang Tilapia, Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw and the Ginataang Halo-Halo, but this one is a bit different. This doesn't have a soupy consistency, mainly because I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk. I also added Japanese curry roux into it for more flavor and it also made the sauce thicker...and instead of vegetables, I used beans for added texture.
This very flavorful dish is always a hit on our dinner table. You should see for yourself!

Note: 
This way of cooking works well with fish fillet. For whole fish, a soupy consistency like that of my Ginataang Tilapia is more appropriate.


Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs. catfish fillet, cut into 1” strips
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium sized yellow onion, quartered
  • 1 thumb-sized ginger, julienned
  • 2 cubes Golden Curry Sauce Mix
  • 11/2 cups freshly cooked beans (I used black and small red beans)
  • 2 pcs. Jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 *14oz. can coconut cream
  • 4 Tbsp pure olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:  
1. Sprinkle catfish with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, fry catfish strips in olive oil until light brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. Sauté garlic and ginger in the same skillet until light brown. Add beans, onion and curry cubes. Sauté until curry cubes are melted. Mix well. 
3. Pour in fish sauce and coconut milk. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. Lower heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add  Jalapeño pepper. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Add cooked catfish. Gently cover with sauce. Cover and simmer for another three minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Serve with hot rice.

26 comments :

  1. Cat fish is so cheap over at my place but the thing is you need to buy them alive and kicking. I just don't have the guts to kill them before cooking, so I have not tried it at home. I hope I can find the cleaned and fillet so that I can prepare the same dish at home.

    All of my friends who have tasted cat fish love it so much and sad that I can't remember how the taste is. Very nice style of preparing the fish and just like you, we too use coconut but most the milk version. I will love this recipe as you have shared,with the rice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catfish fillet can be bought in most supermarkets here...but the problem is they all have that strong muddy taste. We haven't been buying it since Ryan started fishing. It's a lot better to do the filleting by ourselves so we can let it bleed out and we can be sure that there's no muddy taste in the fish we eat.

      Delete
  2. Oh Yum. My southern roots make me LOVE cat fish. I can't help it. This sounds yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. you have this southern girl drooling over here- love the idea to use the flavor of coconut with the dish!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a unique recipe. In fact, I may find myself eating more catfish since I have come across this. Blackened or fried is a pretty limited amount of recipes, so I am glad to see this. I see you comment above, I hate mudcat but there are some farm raised out there that is not bad. Cool that you have fresh caught, nothing beats that!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So interesting this catfish dish with black bean and coconut cream...looks very flavorful.
    Thanks for this tasty recipe and have a great week Tina :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. lovely flavourful dish looks wonderful

    ReplyDelete
  7. I wish my family enjoyed seafood! I'd love to work some of your delicious recipes into our meal rotation. My FIL loves catfish...wonder why his son does not?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Coconut milk/cream makes every dish taste delectable ! The way you cook that fish looks very appetizing and makes my mouth water :D Pass the rice , please ! ;D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Double protein dish, looks delicious,sure coconut will enhance the taste.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Tina, your fish dish look delicious and the combo of the beans and coconut milk must be very awesome.

    Have a nice day.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I sometimes cook catfish and you used Japanese curry roux for this? How cool. I like the flavors in this sauce. My family is not a big bean fan but I'd love to try this sauce!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love using Japanese curry roux in almost anything, Nami! :)

      Delete
  12. Hi Tina,
    Did I miss dinner? This looks amazing! I have never had catfish but if the dish looks like this I would love to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your pictures are always so pretty, Tina! Obviously I don't eat fish but I absolutely love coconut cream with vegetables, yum!

    ReplyDelete
  14. My husband fishes too and takes our son also with him. Unfortunately they catch very small fish just enough for a soup! This one looks terrific and cooking it in coconut milk makes it exceptional!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Tina, I agree with AidoVenus: your photos are so pretty. I feel that I can be successful making this dish because you provide such clear directions and step-by-step photos. I'm becoming a bigger fan with each blog post!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The creamy fish curry with beans is a very innovative combo and I am sure my family is gonna love it. thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Typically I'm not a fan of catfish but you managed to make this look (and sound) amazing! I love coconut cream infused food :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh I love catfish. I always soak it in milk for 15 - 30 minutes to take some of that muddy taste out of the kind I buy from the store. You're so lucky you get to use whole fresh ones. The catfish looks delicious with the beans and rice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really glad that hubby is very much into fishing! :)

      Delete
  19. I love the use of coconut cream in this dish!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love catfish but I usually either fry it or blacken it. This looks like a great change and completely different! Always love your curry, and the ginger and coconut cream. Lots of great flavors!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Just seeing the word Catfish made a little pain in my heart. I miss Catfish very much. Thank you for sharing this recipe and photo's.

    ReplyDelete