Crisp Battered White Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage and Lime Crema
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats, NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Crunchy sparkling-water-battered white fish in warm corn tortillas with tangy lime crema and crisp red cabbage.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
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Equipment
- large heavy pot (at least 5 l) or deep fryer
- deep-fry thermometer
- wire rack set over a baking tray
- spider or slotted spoon
- 2 medium bowls
- small bowl
- whisk
- instant-read thermometer
- frying pan
- clean tea towel
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 724 kcal |
| Protein | 36.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 68.9 g |
| of which sugars | 3.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 33.7 g |
| of which saturates | 6.1 g |
| Fibre | 7 g |
| Salt | 1.8 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Fish
- 600 g skinless firm white fish fillets, such as cod or haddock cut into 12 fingers about 2 cm x 8 cm
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
Batter
- 100 g plain flour
- 40 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
- 1 egg, cold
- 200 ml cold sparkling water
Frying
- 1.5 l neutral frying oil (sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable) for 4-5 cm depth
Lime crema
- 80 g mayonnaise (check the label: distilled vinegar only)
- 80 g soured cream
- 1 tbsp lime juice, plus the finely grated zest of the lime
To serve
- 200 g red cabbage, very finely shredded
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 12 small corn tortillas (15 cm) about 312 g
- 10 g coriander leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1
Prep the Components. Before anything else, pat the fish fingers thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle them with the 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk the mayonnaise, soured cream, lime juice and zest together in a small bowl to make the crema, then toss the shredded cabbage with the 1 tbsp lime juice separately. Drying the fish well matters, because any surface water stops the batter sticking and makes it spit in the hot oil.
- 2
Heat the Frying Oil. Hot oil needs room to bubble up safely, so pour it into the large pot — no more than one-third full — and heat over medium-high heat to 190°C on a deep-fry thermometer. Never leave the oil unattended, whether it's heating or actively frying. Keeping the pot only partly full is what gives the oil that margin of safety.
- 3
Mix the Batter. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornflour, paprika and 1/2 tsp salt together. Once the oil is nearly at temperature, whisk in the cold egg and sparkling water just until smooth with a few small lumps left. Mixing the batter at the last minute keeps the sparkling water's bubbles lively, which is what makes the coating light and crisp rather than dense.
- 4
Fry the Fish. Dip four fish fingers in the batter, let the excess drip off, and lower them into the oil one at a time, away from you. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp and the fish reaches 63°C or is opaque and flakes easily. Lift onto the wire rack and let the oil return to 190°C before frying the next batch; checking temperature rather than colour alone is the more reliable doneness cue.
- 5
Warm the Tortillas. Heat a dry frying pan over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas one or two at a time, 20-30 seconds per side, until soft, pliable and lightly speckled. Stack them in a folded clean tea towel as they're done so trapped steam keeps them soft until serving.
- 6
Assemble and Serve. Top each warm tortilla with a piece of fried fish, a spoonful of dressed cabbage and a drizzle of lime crema, finishing with a few coriander leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, since the batter is at its crispest straight from the fryer. Once frying is finished, let the oil cool completely before straining or discarding it, rather than handling it while still hot.
Storage
Best eaten straight away. If needed, refrigerate leftover fish within 1 hour and use within 1 day, reheating in a 200°C (180°C fan) oven until piping hot (74°C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
