Are Swai Fish The Same As A Mekong Catfish?

Marketed in America as swai, the fish on your plate is native to the Mekong River of Southeast Asia.

It’s a cousin of the famous Mekong giant catfish

, which can grow to an astonishing 660lbs.

What fish is closest to swai?

Generally, it’s best to eat a variety of different types of fish. Healthy alternatives to swai include

haddock, sole, salmon

and many others.

What is Mekong swai?

Swai fish, scientifically known as Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, has become popular over the last few decades in the United States. It is

a freshwater fish and native to the Mekong lake in Southeast Asia

, but its extensive fish farming is carried out in Vietnam.

Can swai be sold as catfish?

Asian fish such as basa, tra, swai and pangasius, on the other hand, are members of the taxonomic family pangasiidae.

It is illegal to label them as “catfish” under federal law

.

Is catfish better than swai?

Swai’s flavor is more on the bland side; the meat itself is not as flavorful as catfish, so swai takes on the flavors of the seasonings used to prepare it. As a result, people will argue that

swai has a cleaner taste than catfish

.

What fish is substituted for catfish?

Swai also has a flaky texture and mildly sweet flavor similar to catfish. It can be baked, boiled, steamed, or fried.

Swai fish

are also omnivores like catfish. They are cheaper than catfish.

What’s better swai or tilapia?

When cooked, both fish are white and become tender and flaky, making them great options for fried fish cookouts.

Tilapia tends to be fattier than swai

, and can have darker bits to the flesh. If shopping in North America, one can find fresh tilapia, but swai will always be found frozen.

Is swai a bottom feeder?

Swai fish, also commonly known as iridescent sharks, are a type of shark catfish that are native to Vietnam. These

omnivorous bottom feeders

live in the Mekong river and migrate upstream when the water levels rise in the late summer. When left to their own devices, iridescent sharks can get as big as 100 pounds.

Is swai a clean fish?

Due to the inconsistent quality of Vietnamese-imported fish, such as swai fish,

they are often considered “unclean”

and raise a number of health concerns. The swai fish (Basa) is native to Vietnam and mostly imported to the United States. It is quite popular as it is cheap, has a mild taste, and is versatile to cook.

What other fish does swai taste like?

In fact, swai fish’s taste and texture also

closely match the popular salmon

. This is why many have started to use it as a cheap substitute for wild salmon. Aside from salmon, it is also frequently compared with catfish when it comes to taste and texture.

Is swai fish safe to eat?

Swai is a common and frequent victim of food fraud

.

What’s more, U.S. seafood importers started shipping fillets from a Vietnamese catfish called basa in 1994. But most of what is sold in the market today as basa fish is actually not true basa. Instead, it is often swai fish, which is considered to be inferior to basa.

How does swai fish taste?

Swai is a white-flesh fish (typically available in fillet form) with a

sweet mild, taste

and light flaky texture that can be broiled, grilled, or coating with bread crumbs and fried, according to experts. It can be prepared simply, but also takes well to sauces.

What are the four fish that should never be eaten?

Making the “do not eat” list are

King Mackerel, Shark, Swordfish and Tilefish

. All fish advisories due to increased mercury levels should be taken seriously. This is especially important for vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and older adults.

Is Whiting fish like catfish?

is that catfish is any fish of the order siluriformes, that are mainly found in freshwater, are without scales, and have barbels like whiskers around the mouth while whiting is a fine white chalk used in paints, putty, whitewash etc or

whiting can be a fish, , similar to cod, found in the north atlantic

.

Which fish is best for frying?

• Alaskan Cod. Alaskan cod is frequently used for fish and chips because it can withstand high temperatures when fried. …
• Catfish. Catfish is a great choice that stands up well with cornmeal breading. …
• Flounder. Flounder is a delicately thin and sweet fish. …
• Perch. …
• Tilapia. …
• Fish to Stay Away From.

What is the healthiest fish to eat?

• Salmon, Wild-Caught (including canned) …
• Sardines, Wild-Caught (including canned) …
• Rainbow Trout (and some types of Lake) …
• Herring. …
• Bluefin Tuna. …
• Orange Roughy. …
• Salmon, Farmed in Pens (Atlantic) …
• Mahi-Mahi (Costa Rica, Guatemala & Peru)

Is swai fish high in mercury?

Of the top 10 most commonly consumed seafoods in the United States, all finfish species, including salmon species (13 to 62 ppb), Alaskan pollock (11 ppb), tilapia (16 ppb), channel catfish (1 ppb), Atlantic cod (82 ppb), and pangasius (swai) (2 ppb), had

low total mercury concentrations

.

How many calories are in 4 ounces of swai?

How is swai pronounced?