Crispy Golden Fish Sticks

I think I can eat fried fish every day. It is one of those foods I never get sick of and even though Gallby protests, I cannot stay away. I love the crisp outside contrasted by the soft flesh inside and its a texture that you cannot attain with fried chicken. It's just goooooooood. Growing up we usually had fried fish on Shavuot and maybe one or two other times a year but not very often, but when we had it it was devoured. Fish here is expensive and I've never seen it on sale and thus I hesitate to buy it- but this week, perhaps in honor of Shavuot, Halibut was on sale for a good price and I grabbed it before they could change their minds. I fried those halibuts to crisp perfection and was in heaven! The buttermilk adds a tangy richness but if you want to keep it pareve you can substitute egg instead. Enjoy- I sure did!

4 Fillets firm white fish such as cod, halibut, or tilapia
1/2 cup flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
salt, pepper
5 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbl sesame seeds
1 Tbl Mrs. Dash or mixed seasoning
oil, for frying

Slice the fish into nuggets or slices, slicing against the grain. Mix the buttermilk, hot sauce and seasoning. Dip each piece in flour and then let it sit in the buttermilk mixture for 10 minutes. Mix the panko with the sesame seeds and seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Coat each piece well with the panko and press it to make sure the coating is sticking. Heat some oil in a frying pan until sufficiently hot (you know when it's hot enough by dropping a piece of panko in the pan- if it sizzles then its ready) and fry each piece until golden brown and crispy on both sides making sure not to move them to much so the breading doesn't come off.