Pangasius
Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
Not Kosher
Has fins but no scales
Fins
Yes
Scales
No
Description
The iridescent shark or iridescent shark catfish is a species of shark catfish native to the rivers of Southeast Asia. Despite its name, it is not a shark.
Pangasius fillets are popular for their low cost, mild taste, and firm texture, and recipes for whitefish like sole or halibut adapt well to them. In Malaysia and Indonesia the fish are often steamed or cooked whole, sometimes with tempoyak and curry.
Pangasius is a freshwater catfish native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers in Southeast Asia, living in tropical water around pH 6.5 to 7.5 and 22 to 26 C. It's farmed heavily in the Mekong region, with Vietnam's pangasius exports reaching US$1.8 billion in 2014.
Also known as
- basa
- swai
- tra
- cream dory
- panga
- iridescent shark
- sutchi catfish
Pangasius in foreign languages
| Scientific | Pangasianodon hypophthalmus |
| Hebrew | שפמנון אסייתי |
| Italian | Pangasio |
| German | Pangasius |
| Russian | Акулий сом |
| Chinese | 低眼無齒𩷶 |
| Japanese | カイヤン |
| Korean | 가이양 |
| Bengali | থাই পাঙ্গাশ |
| Vietnamese | cá tra |
| Thai | ปลาสวาย |
Gallery
Warnings & Kosher Issues
- Has fins but no scales, so it is not kosher.
- Sold under many market names, including swai, basa, panga, tra, and cream dory, which makes it easy to confuse with other whitefish.