Fish
Basa
B tier
Basa properly refers to Pangasius bocourti, a Mekong catfish once common in early exports and still prized by some for slightly better texture than standard tra. In loose retail speech “basa” is often misapplied to hypophthalmus—true basa is a distinct species with mild white meat. Cook gently: steam, bake, light fry. Seek sellers who distinguish basa from tra. When genuine, fillets can feel a touch firmer and cleaner. Still a farmed river catfish, not a sea fish.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Early Mekong exports featured Pangasius bocourti as basa.
Faster-growing tra largely displaced true basa in volume trade.
Labelling campaigns tried to reserve basa for Pangasius bocourti.