Catfish

Also known asPangas · Ikan Keli · 鲶鱼

Name: Catfish — a large group of freshwater fish with whisker-like barbels around the mouth, scaleless skin and a mild, sweet, firm white flesh, most commonly channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in the United States. Pangasius has its own page.

Description

Catfish are eaten in the American South, where farmed channel catfish, grown in ponds in Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama, are a staple, traditionally cornmeal-battered and fried and served with hushpuppies. They are also eaten in Africa, India, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Farmed catfish has a clean, mild flavour, whereas wild catfish from muddy waters can taste earthy or muddy, from a compound called geosmin. The fish has a firm texture, and is usually skinned before cooking, since the skin is tough.

Main nutrition value

Catfish is a lean, white fish, low in fat and calories, and a good source of high-quality protein, selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and iodine. It is higher in fat than cod, and farmed catfish is low in mercury.

How best to be consumed

Catfish is mild, and holds up well to frying and strong seasoning.

1. Coat fillets in seasoned cornmeal and pan-fry or oven-fry until golden, as in Southern cooking.
2. Bake, grill or blacken with Cajun spices, or add to stews, gumbo and curries.
3. Soak wild catfish in milk or buttermilk to reduce any muddy taste.
4. Cook to 63°C, or until the flesh is opaque and flaking.
5. Choose farmed US catfish or well-sourced imports.

Overconsumption could cause…

Catfish is healthy in food amounts, with some points.

1. Fish allergy, which can be severe and is usually lifelong, so anyone allergic must avoid fish and check labels, including fish in sauces and dressings.
2. A lot of fat, salt and calories if battered and deep-fried, or served with rich sauces. Fried catfish, in particular, is very energy-dense.
3. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since fish and shellfish are moderately high in purines.
4. Contaminants in wild catfish from polluted rivers, so check local advice.

GroupsWhite FishFinfishHigh proteinLow sodiumRich in vitamin B12Fresh

Related foodsSnapperSeabassTilapiaGrouperHalibutPerch

Wikipedia — Catfish, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish