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Yields:
10 - 12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Fried fish tacos are my favorite food ever. They are my birthday dinner of choice, the food I turn to when I want to celebrate, or when I need a pick-me-up on a hard day. If I could pick my last meal, it would be fried fish tacos. And I could quite possibly house the entire 30ish tacos this recipe yields, if I were told they'd be my last.
But where did fish tacos come from? The Indigenous people of coastal Mexico have likely been making fish tacos for thousands of years, but fried fish tacos in came into play much later. It's thought that Japanese fisherman who immigrated to Baja, California (a coastal Mexican state on the Baja California Peninsula) in the 50's and 60's introduced their technique for tempura frying, helping to inspire the fried fish tacos we know and love today.
The best fish tacos have a wide variety of flavors and textures; hot and cold, crunchy and creamy, rich and bright, and with just the right amount of heat. Below, I break down how we achieve this symphony of goodness:
The Pickles
This unstoppable combination of red onions (crunchy!), carrots (sweet!), and jalapeños (spicy!) is great on it's own. Add a spiced pickle brine, and you've got a condiment that tastes great on pretty much anything. I left the whole spices (coriander and cumin seeds) optional, because buying whole spices can be pricey. If you can get your hands on them, though, I highly recommend it; their flavor compliments the fish perfectly. This spice combo was inspired by one of my favorite fish tacos, from Tacoway Beach in Queens, NY. If you find yourself in the NYC area, check them out!
If you did buy the spices, and are wondering how to use up the rest of them, here's a few suggestions:
- Add them along with salt and pepper to veggies before roasting.
- Add them to your grains or beans before cooking.
- Heat with olive oil to make infused oil.
- Toast and grind them in a mortar and pestle for spices much more flavorful and fragrant than their pre-ground counterpart!
The Slaw
We keep the slaw super simple: shaved green cabbage and cilantro. If you're not a cilantro fan, feel free to leave it out, or replace it with a different herb.
The Fish & Batter
As I mention in the video, any firm white fish will work. Tilapia, catfish, cod, or flounder all work beautifully. Because this dish has so many flavors and elements, an expensive white fish with a delicate flavor is not at all necessary. Save your $$$ and don't spring for the fancy fish like halibut or turbot.
The combination of flour, cornstarch, and cornmeal in the batter results in a crisp but sturdy crust that maintains that crispiness for a surprisingly long time. (Especially if you're keeping your fried fish warm in the oven.) When the beer is added it may look alarmingly thin, but don't worry! That flour coating you apply to the fish will help it stick.
The Sauce
This creamy-spicy sauce is ridiculously easy. To make the best sauce possible, choose full-fat sour cream and mayo, and look out for this brand of chipotles—it's my fave.
Got leftover sauce? It's great on breakfast sandwiches, as a dip for roasted asparagus or other veggies, on a burger, or really anything that could benefit from a savory sauce.
The Tortilla
Don't worry, we're not making these. 😂 But we are warming them up! Typically I like to warm up my tortillas in a dry, hot cast iron skillet, but heating 30 tortillas that way would take a long time. To heat your tortillas in the oven, wrap 5 tortillas at a time in aluminum foil packages. Make as many packages as you need, then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. In 15 minutes your tortillas will be soft, warm, and pliable!
Made these tacos? Let us know how they went in the comment section below!
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Ingredients
For pickled vegetables and slaw:
- 1/2
medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1
medium carrot, thinly sliced
- 1
jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup
white vinegar
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
- 1 Tbsp.
sugar
- 1/2 tsp.
cumin seeds (optional)
- 1/2 tsp.
coriander seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp.
Kosher salt
- 1/2
medium green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup
freshly chopped cilantro
For chipotle sauce:
- 1/4 cup
sour cream
- 2 Tbsp.
mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp.
Chipotle in adobo
For fish:
- 2 lb.
skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, catfish, or flounder
- 1 tsp.
Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 cup
all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/4 cup
yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup
cornstarch
- 1 tsp.
baking powder
- 1 cup
lager or pilsner-style beer, such as Modelo
To assemble:
- 30
corn tortillas
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
For pickled vegetables and slaw:
- Step 1Combine onion, carrot, and jalapeño in a large heat-safe bowl or jar. Combine vinegar, lime juice, sugar, cumin and coriander seeds if using, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a small sauce pan and heat until boiling. Pour mixture over onions and jalapeños and let sit for 30 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Step 2Combine cabbage and cilantro in a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving, add 3 tablespoons pickling solution from the onions and jalapeños. Toss well and season to taste with salt.
For chipotle sauce:
- Step 1Combine sour cream, mayo, and chipotle in a small bowl and stir to combine.
For fish:
- Step 1Cut fish into 1” to 1 ½” thick strips, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt. Preheat oven to 200° and fit a baking sheet with a metal cooling rack.
- Step 2In a large bowl, combine ½ cup flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine, then add beer and whisk until smooth. Place remaining ½ cup flour in a shallow bowl.
- Step 3In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat 1 ½” to 2” oil to 350°. Coat one piece of fish with flour, then dip in batter and let any excess batter drip off. Gently lower fish into oil, then repeat twice more.
- Step 4Fry fish until golden, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to prepared cooling rack and place in preheated oven. Continue to fry fish in batches and transfer to oven to keep warm.
To assemble:
- Step 1Add 1 to 2 pieces fish to the center of each tortilla. Top with chipotle sauce, slaw, and pickled onions and serve with lime wedges on the side.
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