Crispy Fried Fish Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño-Lime Sauce
These crispy fried fish tacos feature golden beer-battered fish, warm corn tortillas, fresh cabbage, and a creamy jalapeño-lime sauce, making for a delightful and customizable taco night.
Ingredients
For the Creamy Jalapeño-Lime Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp minced jalapeño (remove seeds for milder heat)
- 1 tsp minced capers
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for spice
For the Fish and Batter
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup beer (cold works best)
- 1 large egg
- Vegetable oil, for frying (enough for about 2 inches depth)
- 1 lb firm white fish (cod, haddock, pollock, halibut), cut into about 32 bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the Tacos
- 16 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Finely shredded red cabbage
Optional Toppings
- Jalapeño slices
- Avocado slices
- Radish slices
- Fresh cilantro
- Extra lime wedges
Instructions
Preparation
- Make the sauce first: In a bowl, stir together mayo, yogurt, lime juice, minced jalapeño, capers, cumin, dill, oregano, and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate.
- Pat fish dry with paper towels.
Mixing / Assembling
- In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk beer and egg until combined.
- Pour beer mixture into flour mixture and stir quickly until you have a batter, keeping it a little lumpy.
- In a shallow dish, combine the remaining 1/4 cup flour, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and black pepper.
Cooking / Frying
- Heat oil to 375°F (190°C) in a deep pot (about 2 inches deep).
- Dredge fish pieces in the seasoned flour, then dip into beer batter, letting excess drip off.
- Fry fish until crisp and golden, about 1–2 minutes per batch.
- Remove to paper towels or a wire rack to drain.
- Crisp-fry tortillas by frying for about 30 seconds until lightly crisped, or warm them in a dry skillet or over a gas flame.
Resting / Finishing
- Fill tortillas with shredded cabbage.
- Add fried fish pieces and drizzle with the creamy jalapeño-lime sauce.
- Add optional toppings and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Best crunch achieved by keeping batter lumpy. Oil temperature is crucial for avoiding greasy fish. Sauce can be adjusted for spice and richness.