Swai to the left, swai to the right...

Who's heard of swai?  No?  Me neither.  For those of you who have, aren't you fancy!

I had been craving fish tacos so I went grocery shopping to purchase my items for dinner.  I'm not a fan of tilapia so I searched through the fish section to see what else I could get.  As I was searching, I came across a sign that said "Swai" which I had never seen in the store before.  I was kind of in a rush so I grabbed it and headed for the checkout counter, figuring that I was going to look it up when I got home and hopefully find a quick and easy way to prepare it.  I'm daring like that. 

In my research I found:

Swai, which is native to Southeast Asia--Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia--is very similar in character to catfish, it has a sweet mild, taste and light flaky texture that can be broiled, grilled, or coating with bread crumbs and fried, according to experts. It can be prepared simply, but also takes well to sauces. A 3.5-ounce serving of plain fish contains around 90 calories, 4 grams of fat (1.5 saturated), 45 grams of cholesterol and 50 milligrams of sodium. Not bad.  (ConsumerReports.org)  

Interesting.  I decided to create a quick marinade and grill the fish, adding a few fresh condiments to the side for toppings...quick, easy, and "healthy" (minus the tortillas, of course).   And I can't have fish tacos without beans and rice so I prepared those while the fish was marinating.  The fish doesn't take that long to cook once it's on the grill, so I was able to make this dish in under 30 mins.  And it turned out wonderfully!  This will also depend on how long you marinade your fish.   It was so tender and flaky and had a very mild flavor BUT is still very hearty like catfish.  Glad that my quick decision in the grocery worked out : )

Today's recipe:

Marinated Grilled Swai

• 1 Lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 tbsp. honey
• Salt & Pepper
• Fillet of Swai (I didn't rhyme on purpose, I promise)
• Corn tortillas 

Taco Toppings:

• Avocado
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Lime
• Salsa verde
• Red onion
• Cole slaw

Directions:

• In a small bowl, add the juice one lemon, cilantro, honey, salt and pepper.  
• In a baking dish, place the fillet of Swai.  
• Rub the smashed garlic on both sides of the fish and place inside the baking dish.  
• Pour the lemon mixture over the fish.  Let marinade for up to 1 hour making sure to turn the fish over after 30 mins.  
• When you're ready to grill (indoor or outdoor, I did indoor),  season the swai with a little more salt and pepper (to taste).  
• Make sure to spray the grill with cooking spray so that the fish does not stick to the grates.  
• Place the fish on the grill, 4-5 mins on each side (depending on the thickness), until fish is white.  Place the tortillas on the grill, 1 minute on each side (just enough to warm through) and set aside.  Cover them to keep them warm.  Flake apart the fish and place in the center of the corn tortilla.  Add your favorite toppings.  It's easy!

As always, let me know if you end up trying the recipe.  I want to hear what worked for you!  Also, if there is a food that you want me to cover in a future blog post, let me know!  I will be happy to help. 

Until next time,

Happy Knife Out!