Baja Style Fish Tacos

Sometimes the simple things are the best.

I am a big fan of fish tacos and I think that the fried ones are the best.  I was reminded of this when I drove through a Del Taco and ordered two fish tacos (no, I wasn't also contemplating suicide).  They were simple and surprisingly good.  It inspired me to blog my go-to fish taco recipe.There are only four steps here. Make the sauce, make the batter, prep the sides, and fry the fish.

You'll need;

• 4-5 oz firm white fish per person (Cod, Mahi, Tilapia, Snapper, Marlin, Swai, etc)
• 1/2 cup flour (plus some extra for coating the fish)
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 of a Mexican cervesa (Dos Equis Amber esta mejor pero yo prefiero Pacifico)
• 1 lemon (for zest and juice)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
• 1/4 cup mayo
• salt and pepper
• dash cayenne
• shredded cabbage
• chopped cilantro (opt)
• limes for garnish
• a sliced avocado for garnish
• corn tortillas

First step; make the sauce.

Combine the sour cream, mayo, the juice from half a lemon, 2 tsp lemon zest, a healthy amount of pepper and a dash of cayenne in a bowl and stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate at least 30 min.

Second step; prep the accouterments.  Shred the cabbage and slice the limes and avocados.  Chop the cilantro and ready the tortillas.  Street tacos usually get a double tortilla treatment.  I recommend it as well unless you  are cutting down on carbs.  The wife doesn't like the raw taste of corn tortillas so they can be cooked either briefly in oil or on a griddle.

Step three; prep the fish. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper.  

Cut your fish into strips that will fit into your tacos.  I go about 1in x 3/4in x 3in.

Dredge the fish in flour to help the batter stick.

Step four; make the batter. Combine 1/2 cup flour, the panko, the chili powder and one egg in a bowl.

Add in half a can/bottle of beer while stirring. We are are looking for a pasty batter here.  Mine was too pasty. If yours is too use a little more beer.  

  
At this point you should get your oil heating and set up a post-fry paper towel plate.

Batter the fish and fry in small batches for about 2 min per side.

Remove the fish to a cooling plate for one minute and salt them.  Trust me, you must salt the fish fresh from the frypan.

Make the tacos by putting the fish into the tortilla, adding a bit of cabbage and a spoonful of the sauce.  Garnish with cilantro and avocado if desired.  Serve with a lime wedge for each taco.