Mexican
Crispy Baja Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw
A crisp Baja taco with a light sparkling-water batter, crunchy cabbage, and a creamy lime sauce. Rick Bayless's garlic-oregano seasoning gives the batter savory depth, while rice flour and club soda keep the crust crisp.
Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh ProteinHigh CarbSeafoodQuick Weeknight
At a Glance
- Time
- 35 mins
- Serves
- Makes 8 tacos
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Mexican
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt. In a bowl, mash the garlic with a pinch of salt, then whisk in the oregano, mustard, bouillon, remaining salt, sparkling water, rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder just until combined. The batter should look thick enough to coat the fish but still pour easily off a spoon.
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet to 375°F. While it heats, toss the cabbage with 1 tablespoon lime juice so it softens slightly, then stir the mayonnaise with the cilantro and the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice for a creamy drizzle.
- Dip the fish in the batter, letting the excess fall back into the bowl, and fry in small batches for about 4 minutes total, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a rack or paper towels so the crust stays light instead of soggy.
- Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and lightly blistered. Build each taco with a swipe of cilantro mayo, a few strips of fried fish, and a loose mound of limey cabbage.
- Serve right away with lime wedges while the fish is still crisp.
Adaptations
Works As Written- Gluten-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Dairy-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: Use sparkling water instead of beer and the batter stays naturally gluten-free; the crema is mayo-based, so the tacos are dairy-free unless you add sour cream.