Baja Fish Tacos

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb firm white fish fillets (cod, mahi mahi, or halibut), cut into 3-inch strips
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for dredging
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning fish
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 12 oz cold Mexican lager (such as Tecate or Pacifico)
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 2 tbsp lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced, plus 1 tsp adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, optional

Before you cook

• Cut the fish into 3-inch strips, pat dry, and season lightly with salt
• Shred the cabbage and set it in the fridge to stay crisp
• Whisk the mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, minced chipotle, and adobo sauce together in a small bowl, then refrigerate this white sauce
• Whisk the 1 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and garlic powder together in a mixing bowl and set aside dry
• Spread the extra 1/2 cup flour on a plate for dredging
• Stack the tortillas and wrap them in foil so they're ready to warm
• Chop the cilantro and dice the tomato if using

Steps

1. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot or Dutch oven and heat it to 375°F
2. While the oil heats, pour the cold beer into the dry flour mixture and whisk just until combined into a batter the texture of pancake batter
3. Dredge each strip of fish lightly in the plate of plain flour, shaking off the excess
4. Dip a floured fish strip into the beer batter, letting the excess drip off
5. Lower the battered strip gently into the hot oil away from you
6. Fry 3 to 4 strips at a time without crowding the pot, turning once, until deep golden and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes total
7. Lift the fried fish onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain, and season immediately with a pinch of salt
8. Repeat battering and frying with the remaining fish strips, letting the oil come back to 375°F between batches
9. Warm the foil-wrapped tortillas in a dry skillet or in a low oven for a few minutes until pliable
10. Lay two warm tortillas together for each taco and add a piece of fried fish
11. Top with a handful of shredded cabbage
12. Drizzle generously with the chipotle white sauce
13. Scatter over cilantro and diced tomato if using
14. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the top