Exotic fish, it's what's for lunch!

A great midday repast was recently enjoyed by the author as he sat down to a noon time treat that included a Swai fish fillet along with small servings of broccoli, fruit and a glass of red wine!

Swai, along with basa and tra (two related varieties) are appearing at more and more stores due to their lower cost! They belong to what’s called the Pangasius family and they’re very similar in character and taste to catfish. In fact, the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, which has an authoritative site that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the fish that end up on our dinner plates, describes Swai as a river-farmed catfish, sometimes simply referred to in the U.S. only as catfish (be sure to look for country of origin labeling at the fish counter to determine whether your catfish is from the Mekong Delta or the Mississippi Delta). I found the taste to be enjoyable with the flesh white and fork flaky, once cooked.

Swai can grow as large as a tuna!

This meal, as pictured above, came in at only about 300 calories, including the glass of red wine. It tasted delicious and I would encourage everyone to give this 'exotic' fish a try especially if the cost of seafood is a concern. It's now available at many local stores in the frozen food section.

Special health note: Swai are farm-raised which some health conscious people shy away from. If you are eating fish solely for the health benefits, *wild caught*, cold water, fatty fish like pacific (Alaskan) cod and salmon are what all your health reports are talking about...