Fish katsu curry with rice and cabbage slaw
30 min · 36 g protein · 493 cals / serving
Crisp panko-coated white fish, baked or air-fried rather than deep fried, sliced over rice with a mild, gently sweet katsu curry sauce and a crunchy rice-vinegar cabbage, cucumber and carrot slaw. The takeaway favorite, made mild enough for children, from cheap frozen fillets in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Katsu fish
- 4 fillets (1 1/3 lb) alaska pollock, cod or haddock; thawed if frozen, patted dry
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
Katsu fish
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, panko
- a few sprays cooking spray
- 2 tsp canola oil, divided
Katsu sauce
- 1 small onion, grated or very finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, grated, divided
Katsu sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp curry powder, mild
- 1 2/3 cups water
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
Slaw
- 3 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, white cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1 medium cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 4 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
To serve
- 2 pouches (about 3 cups) white rice, microwave jasmine or sushi rice
Steps
- Heat the oven to 430°F (425°F, 390°F fan) with a wire rack set on a baking tray, or heat the air fryer to 400°F. Season the fish with most of the salt.
- Toast the panko in a dry nonstick pan with 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until golden; tip it onto a plate to cool (skip this for the air fryer). Put 1 tablespoon of the flour and the beaten egg in two more shallow dishes. Dust each fillet with flour, dip it in egg, then press it firmly into the panko on both sides. Lay the fillets on the rack, spray them well and bake for 12–14 minutes (or air-fry 10–12, turning once), until deep golden and the fish flakes and reads 145°F.
- Meanwhile make the sauce: heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and half the carrot for 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then the curry powder and the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the water, crumble in the stock cube and add the honey and soy sauce. Simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until thick and glossy; blend it smooth if you like, and loosen with a splash of water if needed.
- Toss the cabbage, cucumber, the rest of the carrot and the spring onions with the rice vinegar, sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
- Heat the rice in the microwave as the packet says. Slice the fish into strips and serve over the rice with the sauce poured across one side and the slaw alongside. Eat the fish fresh, since the crumb softens in the fridge; the sauce keeps 3 days and freezes.
Good to know
Is it spicy enough for adults?
It is mild on purpose, the way children like it. Stir 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder or a squeeze of sriracha into the grown-ups' sauce at the table.
Can I cook the fish from frozen?
Breading frozen fish does not work: the crumb will not stick to the ice. Thaw the fillets overnight in the fridge, or sealed in a bag in cold water for 30–40 minutes, and pat them very dry.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 86
- Protein
- (30%)
- 6 g
- Fat
- (16%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (53%)
- 12 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 225 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1971 kcal goes into the pot and 2547 g of ingredients comes out as about 2290 g of food: 86 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.