Why is catfish, once a very popular fish, no longer eaten? It turns out we've been wrongly accusing it.

Have fish lovers noticed? Catfish used to be the most common fish sold in markets, but now it's hard to find them anywhere. Fishmongers say that nobody eats them anymore, so they're not stocking them.

 

Why has the meaty, boneless catfish fallen out of favor? Actually, we've really missed out on this delicacy, which is a real shame. Why do I say that? You'll understand after reading this.

What is a catfish? A catfish is an aquatic animal belonging to the family Siluridae in the order Siluriformes. It has an elongated body, a flattened head, and no scales. Its body is black, bluish-gray, or yellowish-brown, with a whitish belly. It lives in rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and lakes, hiding in the mud at the bottom during the day and coming out at night to hunt for food. It prefers small fish, shrimp, and the carcasses of aquatic animals, and also eats frogs and shellfish.

 

Catfish are highly nutritious, with a protein content reaching nearly 15%, and are also rich in minerals and trace elements. Ancient books even record that catfish is comparable to shark fin, making it very suitable for people with weak constitutions to nourish their bodies. In addition, catfish is considered a good food for promoting lactation and has the effects of nourishing yin and blood, replenishing qi, stimulating appetite, and promoting urination.

Why is it that people are starting to avoid catfish, a fish known for its delicious taste and reasonable price? Here are the main reasons:

Why is catfish no longer eaten?

• 1. It's considered dirty. Catfish are known for their hardiness and resilience. They are not only undemanding in their living environment, thriving in polluted ditches, but also feed on decaying animal carcasses. This leads to the accumulation of toxins in their bodies. Therefore, people are hesitant to eat catfish.

Actually, this is a misconception. While catfish are indeed undemanding in terms of environment and food, they are not intolerant of extremely poor conditions. If they can survive, it means they are safe for consumption. Furthermore, most catfish we eat are farmed, making them even more reassuring.

• 2. Catfish is difficult to prepare.

Catfish live at the bottom of ponds and have a very strong earthy taste. If not prepared properly, they can be quite unpalatable.

Furthermore, the invasion of the Egyptian catfish has completely disrupted the domestic catfish market. Our native catfish are highly sensitive to water quality and are true carnivores, typically weighing around two pounds.

However, the Egyptian catfish is different. They can grow to around twenty pounds, are entirely black with spots, and while edible, it's not recommended as they are much dirtier.

• 3. Covered in mucus

Catfish are not only relatively ugly, lacking visual appeal compared to other fish, but they also have a lot of mucus all over their bodies. When you touch them, they leave stringy residue, making them unappetizing just to look at.

Compared to other, more diverse fish species, people have gradually stopped choosing to eat catfish, opting instead for bass, snakehead, and grass carp.

 

Overall, our native catfish are not dirty and are rich in protein and fat, as well as many essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, which are easily absorbed by the body. You can prepare them using the following methods.

How to Cook Catfish Deliciously

• 1. Spicy Catfish (Braised Catfish) Prepare scallions, ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers. Place the catfish, cut into small pieces, in a bowl. Add cooking wine, oyster sauce, salt, and other seasonings, mix well, and marinate for half an hour. Then add cornstarch and mix well again. Heat oil in a pan, sauté scallions, ginger slices, and garlic slices until fragrant. Add the catfish and fry until golden brown on both sides. Add an appropriate amount of water and hot pot base. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.

• 2. Steamed Catfish Steaming preserves the original flavor of the fish. Wash the catfish, cut into sections or chunks, marinate for half an hour, sprinkle with chopped scallions, and then steam in a steamer until cooked. Drizzle with hot oil, add salt and light soy sauce, and it's ready to serve.

• 3. Catfish Porridge (Soup)

Cut the catfish into chunks and cook it with rice to make porridge. This is a great method, as the catfish's flavor will infuse the porridge, making it even more delicious.

If you prefer soup, slice the catfish, add pickled cabbage, and cook for one minute after the water boils. This method results in catfish meat that is chewy and bouncy, very tasty.

 

Therefore, our local catfish is quite delicious. Choose the yellowish-brown type. Besides steaming, braising, and making porridge, you can also grill catfish, pan-fry catfish, stew catfish with tofu, or braise catfish with eggplant, all of which taste wonderful.