Baja Fish Tacos

Baja Fish Tacos (Tacos de Pescado Estilo Baja)

Beer-battered white fish fried until crisp, tucked into warm corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, a cool crema sauce, pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime. The magic is the contrast between the hot, crunchy fish and the cold, crisp toppings.

Prep

30 min

Cook

20 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1⅓ lb) firm white fish fillets, mahimahi, halibut, cod or rockfish, skinless and boneless
• •150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dredging
• •1 tbsp baking powder
• •1 tsp fine salt
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •240 ml (1 cup) cold Mexican lager beer, or cold sparkling water for non-alcoholic
• •1 L (1 qt) neutral frying oil, peanut, canola or vegetable, for deep-frying
• •12 whole corn tortillas, small, about 15 cm / 6 in
• •400 g (3 cups) green cabbage, finely shredded
• •120 g (½ cup) Mexican crema, or full-fat sour cream
• •60 g (¼ cup) mayonnaise
• •1 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• •1 clove garlic, finely grated
• •3 whole ripe tomatoes, diced, for pico de gallo
• •1/2 whole (½) white onion, finely diced
• •1-2 whole serrano or jalapeño chiles, finely minced
• •15 g (¼ cup) fresh coriander, cilantro, chopped
• •1 tsp fine salt, for the pico de gallo

Steps

1. 1 Make the pico de gallo: combine the diced tomato, onion, chile, coriander and salt in a bowl. Stir gently and set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes so the flavours meld. Do not make more than 2 hours ahead.
2. 2 Make the sauce: whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lime juice and grated garlic. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
3. 3 Cut the fish into strips about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide and 5–7 cm (2–3 in) long, roughly the length of a taco. Pat completely dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt.
4. 4 Make the batter: in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and cumin. Pour in the cold beer and whisk only until just combined - a few small lumps are fine. A lumpy batter fries lighter than an overmixed one. Keep the batter cold; if your kitchen is warm, rest the bowl over ice.
5. 5 Fill a deep, heavy pot or Dutch oven with at least 5 cm (2 in) of oil and heat to 190°C (375°F). Use a thermometer - this matters. If the oil is too cool the fish absorbs it and goes greasy; too hot and the batter burns before the fish cooks.
6. 6 Dredge each fish strip in plain flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the batter, letting the excess drip off for a second. Carefully lower into the hot oil, frying in batches of 4–5 pieces so the pot is not crowded and the oil temperature does not drop.
7. 7 Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until the batter is deep golden and crisp and the fish is opaque and flakes easily when probed with a knife. The internal temperature of the fish should reach at least 63°C (145°F). Drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan (not paper towels, which steam the crust soft). Season with a pinch of salt while still hot.
8. 8 While the fish fries, warm the tortillas: heat a dry comal or skillet over medium-high heat and cook each tortilla for about 30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly spotted. Wrap the stack in a clean towel to keep warm and soft.
9. 9 Shred the cabbage finely - you want thin, crunchy strands, not thick wedges.
10. 10 To serve, lay 2–3 pieces of fried fish on each warm tortilla. Top with a generous handful of cabbage, a spoonful of pico de gallo and a drizzle of the crema sauce. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime and eat immediately while the fish is still crisp.