ENTRY: pacu
CLASS: noun
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Piaractus mesopotamicus
EQUIVALENT: pacu
DEFINITION: Common name given to several species of freshwater fish of the Pantanal and the Amazon rivers. Its fatty and flavorful flesh can be eaten fried, as a stew, roasted and especially grilled over coals.
EXAMPLE: Season pacu ribs with lime juice, salt and pepper.
SOURCE: Sabores Brasileiros
COMMENT: With a predominantly vegetarian diet, pacu eats fruits, seeds, leaves, algae etc., what justifies the meaning of its name in a native language – pig of the rivers. Reaching around five kilograms and 80 centimeters, it is very appreciated by fishermen, but the overfishing, along with changes in its habitat, has contributed to reduce its stock.
CLUSTERS: pacu ribs; pacu filets