Baja Fish Tacos
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4 (16 fish sticks)
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Calories
927 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Baja Fish Tacos
Description
This recipe starts by preparing the Curtido, a quick pickled slaw made from sliced green cabbage, onion, jalapeño, and a vinegar-water-salt brine, with optional Mexican oregano for aromatic notes. The chipotle crema is blended from mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, and salt, offering a smoky, spicy creaminess.
The fish, typically mahi mahi but alternatives such as cod, tilapia, or catfish may be used, is cut into strips and coated in a beer batter made from flour, beer, baking powder, salt, and optional chile powder. The fish is fried in cooking oil heated to 350-360°F until crisp and golden. Serving on corn tortillas, the tacos are topped with curtido and chipotle crema for layers of flavor and texture.
Proper frying temperature helps maintain crispness; keeping fried fish on a wire rack in a low oven can prevent sogginess before serving. The curtido improves in flavor if allowed to rest overnight but is still tangy shortly after preparation. A variety of garnishes can complement the tacos, and the chipotle crema may be adjusted for heat by adding more peppers or adobo sauce. Kosher or sea salt is preferred for pickling as iodized salt may affect the brine.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fish
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beer
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 teaspoon chile powder optional
- 10-12 corn tortillas
- 2-3 lime
- 3-4 cups cooking oil for frying
For the Chipotle Crema:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- pinch of salt
- queeze of lime
For the Curtido:
- 1/3 head green cabbage
- 1/4 onion
- 1/4 jalapeño
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano Mexican, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt Kosher or sea salt recommended
- black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- If you're making the Curtido, start by slicing up the cabbage (approx. 1/3 head), 1/4 onion, and 1/4 jalapeno. Add them to a mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients: 1/2 cup vinegar, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional), 1 teaspoon of salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Combine well and add everything to a Mason jar. Give it a shake and let it rest in the fridge until you need it.
- For the Chipotle Crema, add the following ingredients to a blender or food processor and combine well: 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 chipotles in adobo, 2 peeled garlic cloves, pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime. You might need to add a splash of water to get it to combine. If you want more heat you can add more chipotles or some of the adobo sauce. Keep in mind that you can substitute some of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt.
- Pat dry and season the fish on both sides with salt. Cut into strips that are approximately 1" x 3".
- To make the beer batter, add the following ingredients to a mixing bowl: 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon chile powder (optional). Combine well and then add 1 cup of beer. Whisk together until you have batter that is the consistency of thick paint, adding more beer if necessary (I added an additional 1/4 cup of beer to this batch.)
- Preheat 3-4 cups of oil in a saucepan until it reaches 350-360F (I used canola oil). One at a time, dip the fish sticks into the batter and drop them gently into the oil. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes or until the exterior is turning a darker brown. I used a narrow pan and only cooked 3-4 pieces at a time so that the oil temp remained as close to 360F as possible.
- Carefully remove the fish sticks from the oil and drain them in some paper towels, continuing until all the fish sticks are cooked. If making a big batch, place the fish sticks on a wire rack after draining , this will help prevent them from getting soggy. You can optionally keep them in a 250-300F oven until you need them.
- Warm up the corn tortillas. For smaller batches I prefer to slightly crisp up the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat. For larger batches you can warm them up in the oven for a few minutes (400F), or nuke them in the microwave for 60 seconds. Each tortilla gets fried fish, Chipotle Crema, pickled cabbage, and a final squeeze of lime. Enjoy!
- Load up each tortilla with fried fish, Chipotle Crema, pickled cabbage, and a final squeeze of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
- Mahi mahi is a suggested fish, but cod, tilapia, or catfish can be used as alternatives for frying.
- Maintain oil temperature between 350-360°F during frying for crispy fish; a kitchen thermometer assists in monitoring.
- To prevent sogginess, remove fried fish promptly from draining oil and keep warm on a wire rack in a 250-300°F oven if needed.
- Remove seeds from chipotles before adding to the crema for a milder smoky flavor.
- Use kosher or pure sea salt for pickling curtido, as iodized salt can affect the flavor.
- Curtido develops best after resting overnight but is also flavorful after 15-20 minutes.
- A mango salsa can be used as an alternative topping to curtido.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4(16 fish sticks)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 927 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 927kcal | 46% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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