Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Fried Catfish
314 kcal a serving, against 529 for the traditional version. That is 215 kcal off, or 41%, with 41g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Catfish fillets dipped in buttermilk, then dredged in seasoned cornmeal and deep-fried until golden and crisp. Served with hot sauce, lemon wedges and all the memories of frying in the garden.
What changed, and what each change costs
Deep-frying for hot oven baking
Get rid of most of the oil, which is 80% of the calories on the plate. You can still crisp the coating if you preheat the tray and drizzle a little oil, but don't kid yourself: the golden greasy finger-licking bit is gone.
What it costs you. The first thing you'll notice is the crust doesn't have that rich fried taste. It also goes dry if you bake it too long, so set a timer and don't wander off. You have to eat it hot out of the oven, not let it steam on a rack.
Buttermilk for fat-free Greek yoghurt, thinned with water
It'll give you the tang and help the cornmeal stick, but saves the fat and a few calories.
What it costs you. No one's going to write poetry about it, but unless you're a buttermilk junkie, you won't grieve.
Catfish for cod fillets
Catfish isn't easy to get in Britain unless you've got the right fishmonger and don't mind chasing it. Cod is lean and takes well to this treatment.
What it costs you. Cod is firmer, a little less fatty, and doesn't have the same muddy sweetness. You'll miss it if you grew up with catfish, but if you're just after a moist, mild fish under a crisp shell, cod is up to the job.
More fish, less cornmeal and flour
If you add a bit more fish and cut the cornmeal and flour down, you land with a protein-heavy plate and a less doughy crust.
What it costs you. The crust doesn't get as thick, so don't expect any double dredge crispiness. This isn't a hush puppy with catfish hiding inside.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 529 | 314 |
| Protein | 31.3g | 41g |
| Fat | 28g | 6.3g |
| Saturated fat | 5.1g | 1g |
| Carbohydrate | 36.6g | 21g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.9g | 13.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, fish, milk.
The method is in the book
No one's going to confuse this with a real deep-fried catfish. What you get is a hot, cunchy, spicy-coated fish that hits the craving until you remember how fried food actually feels. It's a fair trade: fewer greasy fingers, more fish, and the protein makes up for some of the missing magic. Not quite grandma's, but not pretending to be either.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.