Name: California Fish Tacos (home recipe)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Makes 8 tacos
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (450g) firm white fish (halibut, cod, or local swordfish), cut into 1-inch strips; 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dredging; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup cold light beer or sparkling water; Oil for frying (vegetable or avocado); 8 small corn tortillas; 2 cups green cabbage, shredded fine; 1/2 cup crema or sour cream; Juice of 1 lime; Pico de gallo: 2 Roma tomatoes, 1/4 white onion, 1 jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt

History

The fish taco tradition is rooted in Ensenada and the Baja California coast, where battered and fried white fish in corn tortillas developed as street food in the mid-20th century. The format migrated into Southern California coastal cities through the 1970s and 1980s and is now a staple of Santa Barbara's casual seafood counter scene.

Common allergens: Gluten (batter), Fish, Dairy (crema)

Make it at home

Yield Makes 8 tacosHands-on 25 minTotal 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

1 lb (450g) firm white fish (halibut, cod, or local swordfish), cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dredging
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cold light beer or sparkling water
Oil for frying (vegetable or avocado)
8 small corn tortillas
2 cups green cabbage, shredded fine
1/2 cup crema or sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
Pico de gallo: 2 Roma tomatoes, 1/4 white onion, 1 jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt

Method

Make the batter: whisk flour, baking powder, cumin, and salt together. Add cold beer gradually, whisking until smooth and just thick enough to coat a spoon. A few lumps are fine.
Make pico de gallo: dice tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno finely. Combine with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Set aside.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 375F (190C).
Dredge fish strips in plain flour, shake off excess, then dip in batter to coat evenly.
Fry in batches 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a rack, not paper towels.
Warm tortillas on a dry griddle. Toss cabbage with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Build tacos: fish, cabbage, crema, and pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges.

Tip from the editors. The batter must be cold to fry up light; keep it in the fridge between batches. Overcrowding the fryer drops the oil temperature and produces soggy batter rather than a crisp shell.