Baja Fish Tacos (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy battered fish in warm tortillas with zesty lime sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Fish

01 - 1 lb firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut), cut into 1-inch strips
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
04 - 1 tsp baking powder
05 - 1 tsp kosher salt
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1 cup cold sparkling water
10 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ For the Creamy Lime Sauce

11 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 - 1/4 cup sour cream
13 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
14 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
15 - 1 tsp lime zest
16 - 1 tsp hot sauce
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For the Toppings

18 - 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
19 - 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
21 - 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced
22 - 8 small corn tortillas (6-inch)
23 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Gradually whisk in cold sparkling water until batter reaches a smooth, lump-free consistency.
03 - Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350°F.
04 - Pat fish strips completely dry with paper towels. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip each piece into batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl.
05 - Fry fish in small batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
06 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side or wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
07 - Place 2-3 pieces of fried fish on each warm tortilla. Top with shredded cabbage, cilantro, red onion, and sliced avocado. Drizzle generously with creamy lime sauce and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The batter gets ridiculously crisp thanks to sparkling water creating those tiny air pockets we all chase in fried food
  • That creamy lime sauce ties everything together with exactly the right tangy richness
02 -
  • Make sure your sparkling water is ice cold because warm batter simply wont achieve that magical lightness
  • Never skip patting the fish completely dry or youll end up with soggy, sad patches where the batter refuses to stick
03 -
  • The sparkling water trick works because the carbon dioxide creates tiny bubbles in the batter, leading to that incredibly light, airy crunch we all chase in restaurant fried food
  • Let your battered fish sit on a rack for 30 seconds before sliding it into the hot oil this helps the batter set slightly and reduces the risk of it sliding off during frying
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