Crispy Curry Catfish Sandwich with Chili-Lime Slaw Recipe

Updated March 21, 2025

For me, Lenten season means fried fish sandwich season. And while I do enjoy the occasional Friday fillets from various fast food joints, the homemade version can take on any number of flavors besides just one doused in tartar sauce. This one is a catfish po' boy of sorts, but rather than using cajun or creole seasonings, I went with fish sauce and curry for a Thai-inspired po' boy.

For the slaw, shredded red and napa cabbages are dressed in a mixture of lime juice, fish sauce, and sambal that all combine to form a cool, crunchy, and spicy bed for the catfish fillet.

Salt, pepper, and curry powder are sprinkled over the catfish fillets before they are dredged simply in rice flour and then pan-fried until golden and crisp. The dressed slaw is piled onto sliced French bread, then the just-fried, crispy, and spicy catfish fillet is nestled onto the slaw, followed by a final spritzing of lime juice. The finished roll has everything that makes for a great fried fish sandwich—hot, crisp, flavorful fish and a cooling slaw—but with bold Southeast Asian flavors.

Recipe Details

Crispy Curry Catfish Sandwich with Chili-Lime Slaw Recipe

Prep 15 mins

Cook 25 mins

Active 25 mins

Total 40 mins

Makes 4 sandwiches

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Ingredients

For the Slaw:

2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons juice from about 2 whole limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons Sambal chili sauce
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For the Sandwich:

1 teaspoon curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 catfish fillets, cut in half (about 1 pound total)
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
Lime wedges, for squeezing
1 French bread roll, about 16 inches in length

Directions

For the Slaw: whisk together the canola oil, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and sambal in a large bowl. Add the shredded cabbages and cilantro and toss to combine. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the Fish: Combine the curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, then sprinkle on all sides of the catfish fillets. Place the rice flour in a shallow dish, then dredge the catfish fillets in the rice flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the canola oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium high heat until shimmering. Place the catfish fillets into the pan, working in batches if necessary. Fry the catfish until crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fried catfish to a platter lined with paper towels and season immediately with salt and pepper. Repeat until all fish is cooked.
Divide the bread into 4 equal pieces, then split each in half horizontally. Divide the slaw among 4 of the bottom halves of the bread, then place a piece of catfish on each sandwich. Top with the remaining halves of the bread and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the fish.

Special equipment

Cast-iron pan

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1571	Calories
82g	Fat
149g	Carbs
70g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	1571
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 82g	105%
Saturated Fat 10g	49%
Cholesterol 189mg	63%
Sodium 2627mg	114%
Total Carbohydrate 149g	54%
Dietary Fiber 15g	55%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 70g
Vitamin C 126mg	629%
Calcium 308mg	24%
Iron 7mg	38%
Potassium 2053mg	44%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.