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Crispy Fish Tacos

Crispy Fish Tacos

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword fish tacos
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 Tacos

Ingredients

Fish Tacos

  • 24 Corn Tortillas
  • 4 quarts Canola Oil
  • 1 pound Cod, Tilapia, or similar white fish
  • 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  • Tempura Mix (see Notes homemade instructions)
  • Fresh Cilantro, torn topping
  • Kosher Salt, to taste

Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauce

  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • ¼ cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
  • 6 cloves Garlic smashed
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper

Slaw

  • 1 cup Red Cabbage shredded
  • 1 cup Green Cabbage shredded
  • ¼ cup Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Half and Half (can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoon milk)

Instructions

Toppings

  1. Print the recipes for Pickled Onions and Pico de Gallo. Make these first.

Fish Tacos - Marinade

  1. Heat the canola oil in a large heavy pot like a Dutch over to 375° F, or set your fryer to 375°F

  2. Slice the fish into 1/2 inch thick by 2 inches long slices. Place the fish slices in a mixing bowl.

  3. Add the lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder and mix thoroughly. Set aside until ready to cook.

Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauce

  1. Place the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, white vinegar,garlic, salt, and pepper in a small processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Slaw

  1. Place the shredded red and green cabbage in a mixing bowl. Add the Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauce and half and half and season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fish Tacos - Cooking

  1. Set you oven to 200° F. Place a cooling rack on a sheet pan.

  2. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl and get the tempura mix ready by, either, mixing according to the package instruction or by following the instructions in the Notes for this recipe.

  3. Take some of the fish and submerge them in the tempura mix. Remove a few pieces at a time and let some of the batter fall off.

  4. Place them in the panko breadcrumbs and coat the pieces on all side.

  5. Carefully place several pieces in the hot oil and cook for 4-6 minutes.

  6. Remove the pieces with a strainer or slotted spoon when the time is up and place them in bowl. Sprinkle with some salt and place the pieces on the cooling rack.

  7. Repeat the above process until all the fish is cooked. As each batch is finished, place the sheet pan in the oven to keep the fish warm.

  8. As the fish is cooking, warm the corn tortillas. Each taco needs 2 tortillas as they tend to tear easily.

  9. Depending on the equipment you have at home, you can either heat 2 shells on a gas burner over a low flame, on a grill, or in a pan.

  10. Place them on the heat for about 1 minute then turn over and heat for another minute. Repeat this until all the tortillas are warmed. Place the finished sets on a place and cover with a towel.

Fish Tacos - Assembly

  1. Take a set of 2 tortillas and place about 2 pieces of fish on it. Top with some slaw, red onions, pico de gallo, cilantro garlic, lime sauce, and some torn fresh cilantro leaves.

Recipe Notes

Tempura Batter

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/3 cup Corn Starch
  • 2 tablespoons cup Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • About 1 cup of ice water

Instructions

  1. Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of water and plenty of ice.
  2. In a medium mixing, mix the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  3. Slowly pour the water in a small stream into the bowl with the tempura mix. Be careful not to let any of the ice fall in. Use a fork to mix well so there are not lumps. You want the mix to be the consistency of pancake batter.
  4. Between each batch of fish, you most likely will need to stir it again.