Panko breadcrumbs are key to this recipe. These Japanese-style breadcrumbs have gained popularity in recent years due to their light, crispy texture. You can find them in most grocery stores, either near the breadcrumbs or in the Asian food section. If you’re having trouble locating panko, regular breadcrumbs will suffice, but the finish product won’t be quite as crunchy. These tacos are pareve without sauce. If you add the sour cream (which I highly recommend), then of course it becomes a dairy dish. To keep these tacos dairy free, feel free to use a sour cream substitute for the sauce, like Tofutti. And if you like a creamier sauce, you can mix half mayonnaise, half sour cream– I like it that way, too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless white fish fillets - choose a firm white fish like cod or halibut
- 1 1/2 cups cups beer (or substitute seltzer water)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying (I prefer grapeseed)
- 15 corn tortillas
- Topping Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage 2 ripe avocados, thinly sliced 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced Fresh lime wedges for garnish; You can add other taco toppings if you prefer-- salsa fresca, fresh chopped cilantro, jalapeno or hot sauce for a kick
- Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup sour cream (or 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise) 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (or more to taste) 1 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 tsp lime zest Salt to taste
Directions
STEP 1 Cut the fish fillets into chunks that are roughly 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. STEP 2 In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the beer or seltzer, flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. The batter will bubble at first, then settle. STEP 3 Pour the panko breadcrumbs into another bowl. Have an empty plate handy for the breaded fish. STEP 4 Dip each piece of fish into the batter. When you pull the fish out of the batter, let the excess batter run back into the bowl. STEP 5 After dipping in the batter, gently roll each piece in panko crumbs to coat. Leaving too much batter on the fish will lead to clumping, so make sure your fish is only lightly coated with batter before breading. Place the breaded fish onto the empty plate. STEP 6 When your fish is breaded, heat 1/2 inch of cooking oil in a skillet over medium high. Fry the breaded fish pieces in batches of 6. If the oil is at the correct temperature, it should bubble and sizzle evenly—no splatters or popping. STEP 7 Flip the fish when they turn dark golden brown. It will take 2-3 minutes per side for the fish to become golden and crisp. STEP 8 While the fish fries, whisk together your sauce ingredients. Reserve the sauce. STEP 9 Place fried fish pieces on a wire rack to drain, if you have one. This will keep the fish as crisp as possible. Use paper towels to catch the oil drips underneath the rack. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can drain the fish pieces on a double layer of paper towels. STEP 10 When all the fish pieces are fried, assemble your tacos. Heat the corn tortillas in a skillet till they become warm, fragrant, and flexible. Place 2 pieces of fried fish in each taco. Top with a bit of shredded lettuce, some diced tomato, 2 slices of avocado, and 1 tbsp of sour cream sauce. Serve warm with fresh lime wedges.