Best Baja Style Tempura Fish Tacos Recipes

THE BEST BAJA FISH TACOS WITH BAJA CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the fish into 3 inch X 1/2 inch pieces, about the size of a middle finger. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch and baking powder with the yellow mustard and 8 ounces of beer. Add more beer 1 tablespoon at a time until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter. Press out any clumps with the back of a spoon.
• Heat the oil to 350°-375°F, using a candy or frying thermometer to monitor the temperature. Line a plate with paper towels.
• One at a time, dredge each piece of fish in the batter, fully coating each piece and shaking off the excess, then gently sliding each filet into the hot oil. Work in batches to not overcrowd the pot. Use a splatter guard or place a lid half way over the pot to avoid oil splashes. Turn the pieces of fish in the oil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they are golden on all sides. Transfer to the paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining fish pieces.
• While the fish is cooking, mix the Mexican crema, mayonnaise, the juice of 1 lime and 1-2 pinches of kosher salt in a small bowl. Transfer to a squeeze bottle if desired and set aside.
• Heat a dry, non-stick skillet over medium high heat and warm the tortillas on both sides. In batches, dunk the drained fried fish back into the hot oil and cook for 30 seconds until warmed through and crisped on the outside.
• Stack two tortillas together then add some cabbage and a few spoonfuls of pico de gallo and top with a pice of fish. Drizzle with the white cream sauce and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.

BAJA FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Toss the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce and garlic in a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer, whisking until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
• In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of ½-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F, or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil.
• Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, dip the fish strips in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Let the excess batter drip off, then fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Smear each tortilla with a generous amount of the chipotle sauce, then top with the cabbage slaw. Lay one piece of fish inside each tortilla and serve with lime wedges.
• Note: 3 chipotle peppers and 2 teaspoons sauce will give you a spicy sauce. Use less for a milder sauce. You can freeze any leftover chipotle peppers from the can.
• Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 3 tablespoons of oil are absorbed into the fish when fried.
• Note: Nutritional Information does not include the chipotle sauce.

BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• For the Beer Batter:
• Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
• For Cream Sauce:
• Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
• For the Fish:
• In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
• On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
• *Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.
• **Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream.

BAJA-STYLE TEMPURA FISH

Steps:

• To make the marinade, in a large bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups water, lime juice, garlic, chiles, oregano, and salt. Add the fish strips and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
• To make the tempura batter, in a separate bowl, whisk together the ice water and mustard. Gently stir in the flour, but don't overmix; a few small lumps are okay. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Drain the shark pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel.
• Have a plate lined with paper towels ready. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat at least 2 to 3 inches of oil over medium heat until it reaches 360°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and stir once more. Dredge the fish pieces in the batter, a few at a time, to evenly coat. Drop them in the hot fat, 2 pieces at a time, adding 2 more pieces every 30 seconds (fry no more than 4 pieces at a time). Monitor the temperature of the hot oil throughout frying, letting the oil return to proper temperature, if necessary, between batches; to ensure crispness, it must remain a constant 360°F to 380°F. If too low, the fish will be oily; if too hot, the pieces will burn.
• Fry them until crisp, light golden brown, and floating in the oil, about 2 1/2 minutes per batch. With a fine-mesh skimmer, transfer the fish tempura to the paper-towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining pieces of fish. During frying, be sure to remove any pieces of floating batter, or they will burn and darken the oil, which will transfer a burned flavor to the tempura. Serve immediately.
• To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the slaw and filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and garnish. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some slaw, then filling, top with salsa, fold, and eat right away.