Baja-Style Fish Tacos
The whole trick is the difference in temperature. The batter is mixed with ice-cold sparkling water and goes into oil at 180 °C. That shock makes it puff up and turn crisp immediately, instead of soaking up oil.
Which is why the batter is mixed only just before frying and only roughly. Lumps are wanted — mix it smooth and you develop gluten and get a tough coating instead of a crisp one.
And the fish has to be dry. Moisture is the enemy of any crust. With an acidic cabbage slaw and a creamy sauce that lift the whole thing to coastal-restaurant level.
Ingredients
- 600 g firm white fish fillets (hake, sole or croaker), cut into strips
- 12 corn tortillas (or wheat)
- 125 g all-purpose flour (for the batter, plain flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder (for the batter)
- 250 ml ice-cold sparkling water (for the batter, or lager)
- Salt and pepper (for the batter)
- Plenty of neutral oil for frying
- 200 g cabbage (for the cabbage slaw, white or red)
- Very finely shredded (for the cabbage slaw)
- 1 lime (for the cabbage slaw, the juice)
- Fresh coriander (for the cabbage slaw)
- Chopped (for the cabbage slaw)
- 100 g mayonnaise (for the creamy sauce)
- 100 g plain yogurt (for the creamy sauce)
- 1 tsp chilli powder or chilli flakes (for the creamy sauce)
- To serve: lime wedges, fresh avocado
Method
- 1
Pat the strips of fish very dry with kitchen paper. Season them and set them aside. Moisture is the enemy of a crisp coating.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt. Just before frying, add the ice-cold sparkling water and whisk only enough to combine (it does not matter if some lumps remain). The cold temperature is the key to the heat shock.
- 3
Heat plenty of neutral oil to 180 °C. Pass the strips of fish through the batter and let them slide gently into the oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and extremely crisp. Drain them on kitchen paper.
- 4
In a bowl, mix the cabbage with the lime juice, salt and coriander. In another, combine the mayonnaise, the yogurt and the chilli.
- 5
Warm the tortillas on a griddle. Lay down a base of fried fish, a portion of cabbage slaw on top, a drizzle of the creamy sauce, and finish with a slice of avocado and an extra squeeze of lime as you serve.