Braised Armoured Catfish

Cooking braised catfish is no mean feat. The process involves removing the armoured shell while managing to avoid the nerve-endings that, once severed, can release a poison that is fatal to humans. Then a chef needs to achieve precisely the right temperature to neutralise the latent poison without - again - activating it.

Of course, if you want fewer friends, braised catfish is easy as pie to cook.