Food WTF: Swai

Swai came up on my radar recently when a recipe for swai ceviche appeared on A Spicy Perspective. It is apparently an Asian cousin of the catfish, native to Vietnam. However, it doesn't have that lake-bottom flavor that catfish can sometimes have... rather, it has a mild, slightly sweet flavor not entirely unlike tilapia. And like tilapia (which can be sort of bland, IMO), it requires a deft hand in seasoning -- too little, and the swai will be boring; too much, and you will overwhelm it. And at about $3.99 a pound, it is also a screaming bargain. As Dave and I try to eat healthier and incorporate more fish into our diets, I see myself adding swai into our regular rotation.

For more discussion about swai, see:

What the Heck is Swai? -- Consumer Reports, Jan. 30, 2009
Tried fried swai, liked it -- From Scratch blog, August 11, 2009
A fish called swai -- new fish to me -- Chowhound.com, January 11, 2010