SMOKED AFRICAN CATFISH.
















SMOKED CAT FISH.
Catfish are predominately freshwater fish, but saltwater varieties, known as hogfish, also exist. Catfish get their name from the long, whisker-like feelers that decorate their snouts. Catfish are mild, firm and low-fat fish with an inedible skin that must be removed before cooking. Suggested cooking methods for catfish include steaming, poaching, baking and frying. Seafood stews can also benefit from the addition of catfish.
Nutritional value
Apart from their sweet, mild taste, catfish is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 143 gram of butterfish offers 3.98 µg of Vitamin B-12, 26.37 g of Protein, 353 mg of Phosphorus, 10.28 g of Total Fat, 14.2 µg of Selenium, 1.16 mg of Vitamin B5, 3.644 mg of Vitamin B3, 112.5 mg of Choline, 0.253 mg of Vitamin B6, 170 mg of Sodium. Moreover many Amino acids 0.315 g of Tryptophan, 1.191 g of Threonine, 1.173 g of Isoleucine, 1.996 g of Leucine, 2.398 g of Lysine, 0.771 g of Methionine, 0.28 g of Cystine are also found in 143 gram of catfish.

Health benefits of Catfish

1. Great for your heart
It’s no coincidence that fish-eating Inuit populations in the Arctic have low levels of heart disease; seafood is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3, which can both protect the heart from disease and lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood. One study has even suggested that an extra portion of fish every week can cut risk of heart disease in half.
2. Clearing the vessels
Eating fish can improve your circulation and reduce the risk of thrombosis. The EPA and DHA – omega-3 oils – found in seafood help to save your body from having to produce eicosanoids, a hormone-like substance which can make you more likely to suffer from blood clots and inflammation.
3. Joint benefits
Eating fish as a regular part of a balanced diet has been shown to ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, a condition which causes the joins to swell up. Recent research has also found a link between omega-3 fats and osteoarthritis, suggesting that eating more seafood could help to prevent the disease.
4. Beneficial for eyes
Eating oil-rich fish frequently can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy. A recent research has suggested that omega-3 fatty acids help to protect the eyesight of those suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition which causes the retina to degenerate and the eyesight to become blurred. Fish and shellfish also contain retinol, a form of vitamin A which boosts night vision.
5. Essential nutrients
Seafood provides the body with many essential nutrients which keep us running effortlessly, including iodine, selenium, zinc and potassium. Iodine is important for the thyroid gland, and selenium makes enzymes which can help to protect us from cancer. Fish and shellfish are also excellent sources of many vitamins, including vitamins A and D.
6. Protect Lungs
Researches have shown that fish and shellfish may help to protect our lungs. Not only can seafood relieve the symptoms of asthma in children, but it has shown signs of preventing it. Consuming a lot of fish can keep your lungs stronger and healthier as you age in comparison to those who don’t eat a lot of fish.
7. Helps Lose Weight
Everyone would want a body with an ideal body weight. Various methods are used to achieve the ideal weight and one of them with diet. The catfish is the food that you need not avoid when undergoing diet weight loss because it contains carbohydrates and very little fat catfish. Catfish fat content is much less than other animal side dishes such as beef and chicken. Protein is high on catfish can also be a source of energy and the formation of muscle tissue.
8. Fights Depressions
 Seafood plays an important role in preventing depression; research has highlighted links between low omega-3 levels and a higher risk of depression. Seafood could also help us to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and post-natal depression.
9. Good for skin Health
Not only does omega-3 help to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the UV damage, but eating lots of fish can also help with the symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Fish is also a great source of protein, which is an important ingredient of collagen, a substance which keeps the skin firm and flexible.
10. Good for Nervous System
One of the tasks of the nervous system in our body is to receive information in the form of stimulation. If our nervous system will arise disrupted health disorders usually categorized by headaches that often. You can help maintain the health of our nervous to take a vitamin B12 as needed. Catfish meat is a good source of vitamin B12 for healthy neurological or nervous system in the body.
11. Digestive health
Evidence suggests that a diet rich in fish oils can help to protect us against serious inflammatory bowel diseases (BD) including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. There is also evidence to suggest that omega-3 could help to slow the progression of inflammatory bowel disease in some sufferers.
12. Boost your brainpower
The human brain is almost 60% fat, with much of this being omega-3 fat. Probably for this reason, research has shown that people who eat plenty of seafood are less likely to suffer dementia and memory problems in later life. DHA, omega-3 fat found in seafood, has also been linked to improvements in children’s concentration, reading skills, behavior, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
13. Good For The formation of bone and teeth
Mineral phosphorus is contained in Catfish, a mineral which is essential for the body. Mineral phosphorus plays an active role in the formation of bones and teeth. Phosphorus deficiency may result in bone loss that can eventually cause paralysis. So include it in your normal diet to fulfill the phosphorus requirement.

CATFISH STEW RECIPE – HOW TO MAKE TASTY CATFISH STEW




How to make catfish stew
• Prep time:  20 minutes
• Cook time: Less than 45 minutes
• Region:      Nigeria
Ingredients
• 1 medium sized cat fish
• 10 medium sized plum Tomatoes
• 5 Red scotch bonnet pepper(Ata rodo)/ Hanabero pepper
• 10 chili pepper
• 3 (Red Bell pepper a.k.a Tatashey)
• 2 Cups cooking oil ; Vegetable oil or Bleached palm oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced – Optional
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 Seasoning cubes
• Salt to taste
Step 1: The first step to preparing cat fish stew is learning how to clean the cat fish properly
                 Step 2: Next, place the cat fish in an empty pot, add chopped onion, salt to taste, crushed seasoning cubes and 2 cups of water. Cat fish tends to get really soft and flaky once cooked so you have to be careful with the way you cook it as it requires very little cooking time. Steam the fish for about 5mins -Set aside. 


Step 3: Remove the Seeds from the Tatashey, remove the stalk from the chili pepper and scotch bonnet. Wash the peppers thoroughly and place in a blender add the Tomatoes and onion. Blend into a very smooth puree. Pour the blend into a medium sized pot and cook till the the liquid evaporates leaving the concentrated tomato and pepper paste
Step 4: Pour the cooking oil into an empty pot. Add the chopped onions and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Add the concentrated paste and fry for about 10 mins making sure you stir once in a while to prevent the paste from burning underneath. Once it’s well fried, you’d notice the oil separate from the paste.
Step 5: Add the cat fish stock and minced garlic, check for salt and seasoning, add more if needed and stir. Cover the pot and leave to cook for about 10 minutes. Gently add the cat fish into the pot – don’t stir else it’d break. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, you’d notice the oil would settle on top of the pot. Turn off the burner and leave to cool for a while.
Just like restaurant stew, catfish stew can be served with boiled rice, yam,beans, potatoes or even as a side for various soups such as Plain okra.
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