Serves 4 / When you want a versatile, tasty, sustainable, and affordable fish, catfish is it. For quick prep, use your food processor to shred the carrots (or buy them preshredded). Sweet red chile sauce is available in the Asian section of natural markets; it keeps for ages in the fridge and dresses up any cooked vegetables, tofu, or seared meats.
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 teaspoons sweet red chile sauce
8 ounces udon noodles
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne
4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for pan
4 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1. Combine rice vinegar, brown rice syrup, and chile sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions, 8–10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again; keep warm.
3. In a small bowl, combine ginger, cumin, and cayenne. Cut each catfish into 2-inch pieces; place in shallow dish and sprinkle with spice blend, turning to coat.
4. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add carrots and cabbage. Stir-fry quickly for 1–2 minutes, until slightly wilted but still crisp. Remove from heat, place in a bowl, and drizzle with half of the dressing; toss.
5. Heat a little more oil in the pan and add catfish; fry for about 3 minutes, until browned on both sides. Add remaining sauce and cook until bubbly, tossing gently. Serve fish over noodles with slaw.
PER SERVING: 303 cal, 9g fat (4g mono, 3g poly, 2g sat), 98mg chol, 31g protein, 32g carb, 4g fiber, 163mg sodium
