Spicy General Tso’s Catfish (F, Vg, V, Gf, Ef options)
A pescetarian twist on a classic North American Chinese restaurant favorite. General Tso's sauce is spicy, sweet, sour and accentuates the natural flavor of the catfish. There are a few moving parts to this recipe, but it is so worth it. Once you have made this recipe you can use it on any protein you like, to create your own version of General Tso's. It can be made gf, v and eggless.
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs. catfish rinsed, dried and cut into large chunks 1.5" – 2" pieces
Catfish marinade
- 2 tsp shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper or finely ground black pepper
General Tso's Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy
- 1/4 tsp dark soy
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine or sherry
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp white pepper or black pepper
Sautéing
- 4-6 dried chili peppers
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp of finely grated ginger
Thickener
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Batter
- 3/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 large egg white beaten
Frying
- 2 cups cooking oil + 2 tbsp
Garnish
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
Marinade
- Put catfish into a large bowl and add the shaoxing wine, salt and pepper. Mix well to ensure each piece of fish is coated with the marinade.
- Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Making The Sauce
- Mix all the General Tso's sauce ingredients together until sugar is dissolved and set aside
Thickener
- Mix the cornstarch and water together until homogenized. Set aside. Remember to mix well before use.
Battering & Frying Catfish
- Heat 2 cups of cooking oil to 350°F
1st Fry
- Remove fish from refrigerator. To the bowl, add the potato starch, flour, baking powder, garlic powder and beaten egg white.
- Using your hands mix until the catfish pieces are totally coated in batter.
- Slowly drop them into the hot oil. Make sure they don't stick together by occasionally moving the pieces of catfish as they fry. Cook until the fish is lightly golden. Approximately, 3-4 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the fryer by cooking in two or three batches. Remove from oil and allow to drain.
- Increase the temperature of the oil to 375°F. Then start making the sauce.
Making General Tso's Sauce
- In a large frying pan over medium heat add cooking oil. When the oil is hot add dried chilis and cook for 30 seconds or until the chilis change color.
- Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. Mix the sauce ingredients and add to the pan. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Mix well. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch slurry and add 1/2 to the pan. Increase heat to high and mix until sauce thickens. The sauce needs to have a consistency of something between maple syrup and honey. Leave on a low heat.
2nd Fry (double tap)
- Add all the catfish to the 375°F oil and fry for the second time for 1-2 minutes.
- Drain for 20-30 seconds then add directly into the pan with the General Tso's sauce. Turn the heat off and mix until the catfish pieces are totally coated.
- Toss with the green onions and then sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles.
Notes
Substitutions:
Catfish can be substituted with shrimp, lobster, salmon and any other fish. Chicken, boiled eggs. Cauliflower, tempeh and tofu.
Gluten free option: Use more cornstarch or potato starch to replace wheat flour. Gluten free soy sauce etc. Eggless option: Add 2-3 tbsp of water to the batter mixture and mix until fish is coated. If needed add water 1/2 tsp at a time until fish is totally coated with the batter. Vegetarian option: Marinade Tofu and mix the batter with or without egg white. Or boiled eggs. You can skip the batter and fry the eggs until crispy on the outside. Then add to the sauce. Vegan option: Tofu in place of fish, sugar substituted with maple syrup or rice syrup. Double Tap: Double frying reduces the oiliness of the food. It makes it crispier and crunchier. It helps the food to remain crispy even in the sauce.
Gluten free option: Use more cornstarch or potato starch to replace wheat flour. Gluten free soy sauce etc. Eggless option: Add 2-3 tbsp of water to the batter mixture and mix until fish is coated. If needed add water 1/2 tsp at a time until fish is totally coated with the batter. Vegetarian option: Marinade Tofu and mix the batter with or without egg white. Or boiled eggs. You can skip the batter and fry the eggs until crispy on the outside. Then add to the sauce. Vegan option: Tofu in place of fish, sugar substituted with maple syrup or rice syrup. Double Tap: Double frying reduces the oiliness of the food. It makes it crispier and crunchier. It helps the food to remain crispy even in the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 4servingsCalories: 1341kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 24gFat: 116gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 795mgPotassium: 765mgFiber: 3gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg
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