A few weeks ago a friend introduced me to Swai. I’d never heard of the white-fleshed fish before but it cooked easily, stayed moist and had a nice sweet flavor that took seasoning well. Swai is an Asian river catfish. It doesn’t have the muddy flavor of US catfish and is milder than similar saltwater fish. I made tacos with the fish and was so impressed I’ve made them several times since then. This recipe is a little simpler than my other fish taco recipes but the bold seasoning on the fish stands up on its own without needing too many extra ingredients.

I seasoned the fish with a spice mixture I picked up at a local vegetable market but if you can’t find a chipotle blend then you can make your own. One part chipotle chili powder, one part Mexican oregano, half part sweet paprika, half part granulated garlic, half part granulated onion, quarter part salt. I like to keep it on hand because it’s great on pork and chicken as well.

1lb Swai (approx 2 fillets)
1 onion, diced
Juice of 3 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tbs chipotle spice blend (see above)
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
lime wedges
8 corn taco shells

Season fish with chipotle spice mix, cut into bite sized pieces and place in a large saute pan on medium heat. Add onions and lime juice. Cook on medium heat, stirring often until the fish is cooked through, onions are translucent and lime juice has cooked down. Serve on taco shells with avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.