Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
- 3 roma tomatoes, firm, seeded, and finely diced
- 1 white onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely minced
- 30 g fresh cilantro, washed, stemmed, and finely chopped
- 45 ml fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g fine sea salt, dry
Guacamole
- 2 hass avocados, ripe, halved, pitted, and peeled
Sour Cream Sauce
- 120 g sour cream, chilled, full-fat
Fish and Batter
- 480 g boneless skinless cod fillets, fresh, patted dry, and cut into 8 strips
- 2 g ground black pepper, finely ground
- 150 g all-purpose flour, dry
- 40 g cornstarch, dry
- 4 g baking powder, dry
- 2 g smoked paprika, ground
- 2 g ground cumin, ground
- 180 ml cold mexican lager beer, chilled to 4C
- 750 ml canola oil, liquid
Taco Assembly
- 8 corn tortillas, fresh, 15 cm diameter
- 120 g green cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 757 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 82 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place Roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro onto a cutting board and dice them finely using a chef's knife.
Combine the diced tomatoes, 90 g of the diced onion, minced jalapeno, 20 g of the cilantro, 15 ml lime juice, and 2 g fine sea salt in a mixing bowl, stirring gently until thoroughly combined to finish the pico de gallo.
Scoop the flesh of the halved avocados into a separate mixing bowl, add the remaining 90 g diced onion, remaining 10 g cilantro, 15 ml lime juice, and 2 g fine sea salt, and mash with a fork until textured and chunky to complete the guacamole.
Combine sour cream, remaining 15 ml lime juice, and 1 g fine sea salt in a small mixing bowl, then whisk briskly with a whisk until smooth and pourable.
Place the cod fillets onto paper towels on a cutting board dedicated to raw seafood, pat them completely dry on all surfaces, and wash hands immediately to prevent cross-contamination.
Slice the dried cod fillets with a chef's knife on the cutting board into eight uniform strips of approximately 60 g each, then season evenly with 2 g fine sea salt and 2 g ground black pepper.
In a mixing bowl, combine 100 g flour, cornstarch, baking powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and 3 g fine sea salt, then pour in the cold Mexican lager beer while whisking gently with a whisk until a smooth, lump-free batter forms.
Pour the canola oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven and preheat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 185°C (365°F).
Place the remaining 50 g flour into a shallow bowl and dredge each seasoned fish strip, shaking off excess flour so only a light, translucent dusting remains.
Dip four dredged fish strips into the batter to coat thoroughly, lower them gently into the hot oil in the heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes at 185°C (365°F) until the crust is deep golden, the flesh is completely opaque and flakes easily, and the internal temperature reaches at least 63°C (145°F) on a deep-fry thermometer.
Lift the fried fish strips from the hot oil using a slotted spider skimmer and transfer them to a wire cooling rack set inside a baking sheet to drain excess oil, repeating steps 10 and 11 for the remaining four strips.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, place corn tortillas into the skillet using tongs, and toast each side for 30 seconds until soft, warm, and lightly blistered.
Assemble tacos by laying warm tortillas flat, spreading 30 g of guacamole down the center of each, adding 15 g of shredded green cabbage, resting one crispy fried fish strip on top using tongs, spooning over 25 g of pico de gallo, and drizzling with 15 g of seasoned sour cream.
Transfer the assembled tacos onto a serving platter and serve immediately accompanied by fresh lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
- Keep the beer ice-cold until the exact moment you whisk it into the flour; the extreme contrast between chilled carbonated batter and 185°C (365°F) oil creates violent expansion of carbon dioxide bubbles, yielding an exceptionally airy and delicate crust.
- Always rest fried fish on an elevated wire cooling rack rather than paper towels. Stacking fried foods on flat paper traps escaping steam underneath, which will instantly soften the bottom crust.
- Salt draws water out of tomatoes through osmosis within minutes, so gently drain off pooled tomato juices from your pico de gallo before assembling to keep tortillas from turning soggy.
- Keep warmed tortillas wrapped tightly inside a clean, dry kitchen towel until the exact moment of taco assembly so they retain heat and stay pliable without drying out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store fried fish, guacamole, pico de gallo, and crema in separate airtight containers. Guacamole oxidizes rapidly, so press plastic wrap directly onto its surface.
Reheating: Reheat leftover fish fillets on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200°C (400°F) for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy and the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F). Reheat tortillas in a dry skillet. Keep salsa, guacamole, and sour cream cold.
Troubleshooting
Batter turns out soggy and greasy instead of light and crunchy
Cause: The frying oil dropped below 175°C (347°F) during cooking or too many pieces were added at once
Fix: Place soggy fish strips on a wire rack in an oven heated to 200°C (400°F) for 3 to 4 minutes to drive off surface moisture and restore crispness
Prevention: Monitor the deep-fry thermometer constantly, maintain oil at 185°C (365°F), and fry strictly in batches of four strips
Batter slides off the fish fillet during or after frying
Cause: The fish was wet before dredging or an excess layer of dry flour created a barrier between fish and batter
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fried; assemble the tacos with shredded cabbage and guacamole beneath the fish to mask the separated coating
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the fish dry with paper towels and firmly tap off all excess dredge so only a microscopic layer of flour coats the fillet
Fish is dry, stringy, and overcooked inside
Cause: Fish strips were fried longer than 5 minutes or oil was too cool, prolonging cook time
Fix: Cannot be fixed; compensate by adding generous amounts of guacamole and seasoned sour cream for needed moisture
Prevention: Check the internal temperature with an instant-read probe immediately at 4 minutes, pulling fish as soon as it reaches 63°C (145°F)
Cultural Context
Originating in the coastal cities of Baja California, particularly Ensenada and San Felipe, fish tacos emerged in the mid-twentieth century as a staple meal for local fishermen. Traditionally prepared with freshly caught Pacific white fish fried in a light batter and paired with crisp cabbage, lime, and crema, the dish reflects the culinary fusion of Japanese tempura techniques introduced by immigrant fishermen with indigenous Mexican tortilla traditions. Today, Baja-style fish tacos stand as one of the most celebrated coastal street foods across Mexico and the globe.
