Basa/Swai what do you call it?

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Permalink Reply by susan holaday on September 8, 2008 at 7:28am

I'd be interested in knowing more about it -never heard of it before so expect it's not well known here in the Northeast either - where is it from?

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Permalink Reply by Keith Bernhardt on September 8, 2008 at 7:33am

When I saw the title, I was thinking you may be discussing a watch.
I'm not familiar with this fish, either.

Where is it normally found ?

I'm in the midwest. What does the Basa/Swai taste like ?

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Permalink Reply by susan holaday on September 8, 2008 at 8:34am

I just saw the attachment but wasn't able to open it - when I first saw the post, the first thing that came to my mind was Australis! I know their Barramundi which is very mild and nice. Is this a different fish?

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Permalink Reply by Chef Ian on September 8, 2008 at 8:40am

Yes, it is. They package a Swai also. I can hardly find any good info on either even when I Google it.

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Permalink Reply by susan holaday on September 8, 2008 at 8:58am

I just talked to someone in sales at Australis - go to www.TheBetterFish.com - there is a link under Our Fish to Basa and Swai- they are variations of what we know as catfish but much milder in flavor and have a whiter flesh. They are from Vietnam. Hope that helps - Thanks for bringing them to my attention - I'll be learning more about them to tell my readers.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Bernhardt on September 8, 2008 at 9:00am

Thanks Susan. I will check it out. Keith

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Permalink Reply by Tony on September 8, 2008 at 10:43am

This is a great fish it is in the catfish family but here in California it is a tough sell. As soon as I compared it to sole people loved it I have alot of guests who ask me for "that great sole" I also use it for fish and chips I've been using it for years and at $2.65 lb it can help your food cost.

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Permalink Reply by Chef Ian on September 8, 2008 at 11:06am

Thanks for the input you are the only person that has heard of it so far.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Paz on September 8, 2008 at 11:17am

Hi Tony..
Tableside it could be tricky disguising the fish using the term "sole". Sole is a saltwater fish and typically salt-water fish have a much richer stand-alone flavor than freshwater species. It might have the same texture as sole but is the flavor that equal?
Paul

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Permalink Reply by Paul Paz on September 8, 2008 at 11:12am

Hi Chef Ian...
I found moreinformation about Basa and Sai that may be helpful for FOHBOH members.
Paul


Monterey Bay Aquarium
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factshee...
Basa and swai are species of river catfish farmed extensively in Asia. U.S. farmed catfish is considered a better choice because it’s farmed in a more ecologically responsible manner.
Consumer Note
Imported farmed catfish from Asia, basa and swai are commonly sold in the U.S. simply as "catfish." Check country-of-origin labels to be sure you know where your catfish is from.
Summary
Commercial farming of two river catfish species in Southeast Asia, basa and swai, has increased rapidly in recent years. River catfish have a strong potential to be a sustainable aquaculture species, but there are conservation concerns with the current practice of open cage aquaculture combined with little or no management of these fish farming operations in Asia.
Recipe Alternatives
U.S. farmed catfish


SeafoodSource.com
http://www.seafoodsource.com/SPC-9-10504/Basa-swai.aspx
Scientific name: Pangasius bocourti; P. hypophthalmus
Market name: Basa, bocourti, bocourti fish; swai
Common names: Basa, basa catfish; swai, tra, Vietnamese catfish
The Basa/swai Story
When trade with Vietnam resumed in 1994, U.S. seafood importers started shipping fillets from a Vietnamese catfish called basa, or bocourti. But most of what’s sold in the market today as basa isn’t basa. Real basa, P. bocourti, is one of 21 species in the Pagasiidae family of catfish found throughout Southeast Asia. Cambodian and Vietnamese fish farmers have raised basa in cages along the Mekong River for decades. But P. hypophthalmus, or swai, known locally as tra, has become the preferred farmed species. Inferior to basa, but faster and cheaper to raise, swai has been marketed as China sole, river cobbler and even basa, adding to the confusion of unwary buyers. Also labeled catfish, it was eagerly accepted as a cheap alternative to the farmed U.S. species. But such labeling is no longer allowed, following a Food and Drug Administration ruling that only species from the family Ictaluridae can be sold as true catfish.
Product Profile
Basa is a tasty fish, with a delicate texture and nice white flesh. The fast-flowing waters of the Mekong give the meat a clean, fresh flavor. Tra tends to be coarser and more grainy than true basa.
You can tell true basa from tra by appearance. Basa fillets are whiter than tra fillets, which are usually more of a beige color. Tra fillets are also thinner than basa fillets.
You Should Know...
Standards can vary among Vietnamese processers, so befeore making any big basa buys, do some cuttings in your test kitchen with samples from a variety of packers. You may be surprised by the differences in quality and price.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 100g/3.5 oz. (raw)
Amount per serving
Calories 90
Fat Calories 36
Total Fat 4 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 45 mg
Sodium 50 mg
Protein 13 g
Omega-3 N/A
Cooking Tips
Basa is a versatile fish whose flesh is mild enough to take on other flavors but flavorful enough to hold its own in simple preparations. It remains moist during cooking. Whether to go with true basa or cheaper tra fillets depends on the application. If you want a fish you can bread and fry for a buffet line, for example, go with the less expensive tra. But if you want to showcase an exotic yet still-affordable fish, give the real basa a try.
Substitutions: Channel catfish, Lake whitefish
Cooking Methods
Bake, Broil, Fry, Sauté
Primary Product Forms
Fresh
Fillets (skinless/boneless)
Frozen
Fillets (skinless/boneless)
Value-added
Portions
Stri

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Permalink Reply by Chef Ian on September 8, 2008 at 11:34am

Thanks Paul.

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Permalink Reply by Sara Hohn on September 14, 2008 at 6:02pm

While I haven't sold the fish, I recently bought frozen filets in a NYC supermarket as Basa from Vietnam. That was the first I'd heard of it. It was inexpensive and quite mild. Perhaps we'll be seeing more of it!

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