SWAII The swaii is a form of catfish that is imported from fish farms mainly in Vietnam. Its popularity has increased greatly in the United States since the trade embargo was lifted in 1994. The swaii is a river fish that can grow up to 4 feet long but the farmed fish are usually sold in the 2-4 pound range. The adult fish is almost uniformly gray. Often swaii is sold under the name of pangasius or basa. The basa is a similar fish that is actually a little better in quality so you need to check labels. The basa fish is much more expensive because it takes up to 4 times longer to raise. The swaii is a very important fish commercially and is sold all over the globe. It is similar to the American catfish but usually has a cheaper price which has caused the United States government to be very specific with labeling. The basa is a mild fish with white meat and a texture similar to the American catfish. The swaii is also a mild fish but the meat is a little darker in color and the fillets are thinner than the basa fillets. The best way to cook swaii is to bake, pan fry, deep fry or broil.
BARRAMUNDI
A fairly new fish on the U.S market, the barramundi is found in both fresh and saltwater in the area from the Persian Gulf to Australia. Another common name for the barramundi is Asian sea bass but it is also found under the names giant perch, giant sea perch and Australian sea bass. It is a popular fish both for sportsman and for commercial fisheries. Most of the fish found on the market is from fish farms with Indonesia being the largest exporter. The United States has also gotten into raising the barramundi in fish farms with production in Massachusetts and Florida. The barramundi is a demersal fish which means it gets its food from the bottom or near the bottom. Bottom feeding fish usually have much less oil than fish that feed from open water. It is a strong fighting fish that has been known to reach 80 pounds and 4 feet in length. It is a good fish for farm raising because it grows fast and can reach its market size of about 2 pounds in about 1 year. Smaller fish are known to be better eating than large ones. The barramundi has a pearly pink flesh that turns white after cooking. It is mild in flavor with a flaky flesh. The best way to cook barramundi is to deep fry, pan fry, sauté, oven fry or bake.