(Beer-Battered, Caribbean Flavored) Fish Tacos

Today I made fish tacos to bring to lunch at my office. I've made them many times before, and they are always a big hit when I need to cook for lots of people. I am forever making adjustments to the batter for these and trying to perfect it! For this blog, I'll relate the batter instructions as I made it today with some notes about other ways to do it. I like fish tacos with a bit of a Caribbean flare to them, and the key to getting that right is in how you season the fish. If you prefer more of a Mexican flavor, you could substitute different spices (as I'll explain below).


This is a messy and fun recipe, so get ready to really get your hands (and kitchen) messy!

Ingredients for Fried Fish:

• Boneless Fillets of White Fish. I usually use Tilapia because it cuts easily. You'll need one package (about one pound, or four medium fillets) for 2-3 people, more for a larger crowd.
• Jamaican or Caribbean fish/seafood seasoning. You should be able to find this at the grocery store in the spice section. I use a Jamaican Jerk Fish Seasoning mix.
• Cayenne pepper. (note: if you are using a spicy Jamaican seasoning, you may not need cayenne. this depends on how spicy you want it)
  
• Two bottles of beer (a mild Mexican beer, preferably)
• Two packages of Tempura Batter Mix. If your grocery store has an Asian section, you should be able to find this there. See below for alternatives if you can't find this.
  
• All-purpose flour, about 1.5 cups.
• Ice cold water, about 1 cup
• Vegetable Oil (you will use 1/2 or more of a regular sized bottle)

Ingredients for Spicy White Sauce:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• two limes
• Jamaican seasoning (same as you use for the fish)
• Tabasco sauce

Other Ingredients for Tacos:
*amounts listed are for making tacos for a large group.

• 2 packages (10 per package) of Soft Tortillas, 10 inch size.
  
• Shredded Cabbage. Either get two packages of pre-shredded cabbage or one whole cabbage and shred yourself.
  
• Shredded Cheese, about 2 cups.
  
• 4 Avocados, Sliced
• Pico de gallo or diced tomatoes and onions

Preparing the Fish:



Slice the fish into small, thin pieces about 2.5 to 3 inches in length and 1 inch or less in width. Place in a Tupperware dish and coat with the Jamaican seasoning. After all of the fish is sliced and seasoned in the Tupperware, pour in one bottle of beer and place in the fridge.

In one small mixing bowl, mix together one package of Tempura Batter Mix, 3/4 cup of flour, 2/3 cup of ice cold water and one cup of cold beer. The batter should be a little bit lumpy and should be thin enough to not clump together. Add the rest of the cold water and an additional 1/4 cup of beer if needed. This is your wet batter.

In another small mixing bowl, mix together the other package of Tempura Batter Mix and 1/2 cup of flour. Sprinkle in about 1 tsp of the seasoning you are using and a dash of cayenne pepper. Mix together with a fork. This is your dry batter.

In either a large wok or an electric deep fryer, add enough cooking oil to be about 3 inches deep at least. (If using a deep fryer, there is probably a "max level" indicator inside - add oil almost to this level). Cover and heat the oil. Oil is ready when it sizzles if you sprinkle water into it.

Take the fish out of the fridge. Remove the fish from the beer and add to the wet batter. I like to put all of the fish into the wet batter at one time and mix it thoroughly with my hands to coat evenly. Take pieces of fish from the wet batter, dip into the dry batter to coat, and put into the oil to cook. You can cook many pieces of fish at once, so long as they have enough room to float around without sticking together. Cook the fish until the batter is golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.


Making the White Sauce:

In small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, the juice of two limes (all the juice you can squeeze out), about 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoning, and a dash (about 4-5 drops) of Tabasco sauce. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
Serving the Tacos:

The best way to serve these is to set up a taco station for serve-yourself. Put the shredded cabbage, cheese, white sauce, and pico de gallo into small bowls. Warm the tortillas and place on a plate. Add the fried fish to the table, and everything is set!

Alternatives:

For people who may not like the spicy-tangy white sauce, you could also have traditional salsa available. Also you could replace the shredded cabbage with shredded lettuce.

Using the tempura mix in the batter makes for a lighter, fluffier consistency. If you can't find the tempura mix, you can instead mix the following for the wet batter: 1.5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup of cold beer and 2/3 to 3/4 cup of cold water (more if needed). For the dry batter, you would just use flour with a little bit of seasoning mixed in.

If you prefer a more Mexican flavored fish taco, try using a taco seasoning pack for your seasoning. I like to buy the kind in the envelope and put it into a spice jar/shaker. Everywhere the recipe calls for seasoning, use the taco mix.