Fish makes you Brainy! (Vietnamese River Cobbler)

Member Name: jo@145

Product:	Vietnamese River Cobbler
Date:	30/06/08 (5347 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mild tasting white fish which can be cooked in many ways

Disadvantages: Some negative reports

Fish makes you brainy! Well that's what my Mum told me when I was little, to encourage me to eat my dinner. I believe that a healthy diet is so important and it was whilst discussing fish with a friend I first heard about Vietnamese River Cobbler, which was on sale at the local Tesco, so the next time I was shopping I bought two fillets for our dinner. It looked nice and was a lot cheaper than Cod or Haddock.

The official name is Pangasius, a type of catfish and comes from the Mekong River Delta in - can you guess? Yes, that's right! Vietnam.

What does it look like?
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White fish and reasonably thick fillets, like cod or haddock, but it didn't smell too strong which I liked, as I hate strong smelling fish!

How did I cook it?
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I wrapped it in foil with a little olive oil and some lemon juice and seasoning and popped it in the oven at Reg. 5 for about 20-25 minutes.

Another time I have dipped it in flour and griddled in a lightly oil pan - that is delicious and gives it another flavour, and I have also steamed it, with a little sliced fresh ginger and served on boiled rice with a mixture of soy sauce and hot sesame oil poured over it. One day when they only had 2 fillets left and there were three of us for dinner I tried the Smoked Vietnamese River Cobbler and cooked the fish in the microwave and mixed in a white sauce and layered with lasagne and that was absolutely delicious.

How does it taste?
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As I said it has a mild flavour, making it a good fish for fussy fish eaters, we've never had a bone fortunately although there is always a warning on the label, but the fish has a delicate flavour and will take on the flavours of stronger ingredients used in cooking.

Cost?
*****

The plain fillets are around £6.29 a kilo, with one fillet costing approx. £1.26, and the smoked fillets are a little more expensive at £6.99 a kilo and £1.40 a fillet. Compared to other fish it is still very reasonable even though it has travelled a long way, cod has been between £9 - £10 per kilo.

Where is it on sale?
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I have only seen it at Tesco, and have to say it sells out quickly, so I'm not lucky every week when I'm in!

Negative Reports?
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I have seen reports saying avoid this fish as it is poisonous and causes illness. I understand that it is farmed fish, I don't have a problem with that I eat farmed salmon and mussels, but reports say it is injected to make it grow , well so is a lot of meat, we don't know half of the things that happen with the food we eat. The river may be polluted where it is raised just as other products can be watered with solutions that may be poisonous, we'd never eat anything if we believed every story we were told.

The reports which I believe started in France are sensationlist and unreferenced, and until I am provided with hard facts I will continue to eat this lovely fish. I have never been ill after eating this fish. Although I do suffer with upset stomachs regularly due to having had a large section of bowel removed with cancer therefore I have to say I think this fish is safe to eat, or I would have been ill! No one else in my family has suffered either after eating this fish over several months.

Would I recommend it?
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Yes, most definitely I do.

I found this article from the New Scientist
Eating fish at least once a week may keep you brainy in old age, new research suggests.
A study of about 4000 senior citizens of Chicago in the US showed that all of them lost some cognitive sharpness - such as memory and speed of thinking - as the years passed.
However, among those who ate fish once a week, the rate of cognitive decline was about 10% slower. And it was 13% slower among those who consumed at least two fish meals a week. The difference is the equivalent of being three to four years younger, say the researchers.

So it looks as if my Mum was right, and as I eat fish at least twice a week I'm hoping that report is true!

Summary: Lovely white fish from Vietnam