Pangasuis

[Atheist]

Travelling fish and chip van here in rural France is offering pangasuis and chips. Internet says it is a sort of farmed freshwater catfish from Thailand etc and it doesn't sound too good to me. I think it might be called basa in England, although I have not come across that name before. Does anyone know about it?

[ubasses]

When the fresh fish counter was open in Sainsburys they sold it. I bought the smoked version for Mr U to try (I do not like fish) he said it was very good and could not tell the difference between it and smoked haddock.

[ummmm]

I think cat fish is what it's called in the US.

[Buenchico]

Tesco used to sell it as 'river cobbler'. I tried it and I wasn't particularly impressed.

I've also had it (battered) from a mobile chippy and it seemed to lack the flavour needed for that method of cooking.

Iceland sell it frozen as 'basa':
https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/iceland-6-basa-fillets-625g/73878.html

[SteveD]

Correct spelling is pangasius. I've seen it in the supermarkets here in Belgium.

[KARL]

I think I have had it and found it perfectly OK but not something to become very excited about - but then I am used to a selection of good fish. If I wanted fish and nothing else was available I would not hesitate having it. My recollection is that it has perhaps slightly less substance than haddock.

[Atheist]

Thanks for the spelling correction.

[Palustris]

We have Basa on a regular basis. Nice boneless fish. Cleaner than the things caught in the world's most polluted water of the North Sea.
Like any white fish it does need things adding to it to give it some 'bite'. We cook it with ginger and various vegetables.

[pastafreak]

I don't think American catfish is the same thing. I know it's quite common in the South. Usually fried.
Here's an article about it...and what's farmed in Vietnam.

https://culinarylore.com/food-science:should-you-avoid-eating-catfish/

[jackthehat]

It has a bit of a dubious reputation but Mrs JtH and I usually eat it, in one form or another, at least once a week.

No complaints from us.

[woofgang]

basa fish....tasty if you don't like fishy fish

[roopower]

Our fish and chip shop sells panga, I don't know if it's the same thing.

[barry1010]

Panga, basa, river cobbler - this nasty, tasteless, mushy fish has many names. Some chippies have been prosecuted for trying to pass it off as cod or haddock. I tried it once, never again. Lots of frozen fish products use it and they call it white fish fillet, including Birds Eye, you have to scrutinize the small print on the back. Vile stuff

[barry1010]

This isn't a particularly balanced article but worth a read https://www.dietmindspirit.org/2008/01/30/why-you-shouldnt-eat-this-fish-pangas-pangasius-vietnamese-river-cobbler-white-catfish-gray-sole/