Baja-style deep-fried mackerel tacos
- Published: 31 Jul 10
- Updated: 18 Mar 24
A mackerel taco recipe combines textures and flavours – crisp battered fish, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla with a spicy tomato sauce, yogurt-mayo dressing and crunchy cabbage.
- Serves 4-6
- Takes 15 min to make, 20 min to cook
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp full-fat yogurt or soured cream
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 8 flour tortillas
- 2 large mackerel, filleted and pin-boned (use tweezers to do this)
- ¼ small white cabbage, very thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Small bunch of fresh coriander sprigs
For the beer batter
- 100g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 200ml Mexican beer
For the tomato and chilli salsa
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 red or green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped (it’s meant to be quite spicy)
- 400g ripe vine tomatoes, skinned and chopped
Method
- To make the beer batter, sift the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp salt into a bowl. Gradually whisk in the beer to make a smooth batter. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the salsa, heat the oil and garlic in a shallow pan and, as soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add the onion. Fry gently until soft but not browned. Add the chillies, fry for a couple more minutes, then add the tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Season and keep warm.
- Mix the mayo with the yogurt or soured cream and set aside. Preheat the oven to 120°C/fan100°C/gas ½.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan to 190°C (when a small piece of bread turns golden within 40 seconds). Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and warm through in the oven.
- Season the fillets, then cut each crossways into 2.5cm wide strips. Using tongs, dunk a few pieces in the batter. One at a time, drop 4 pieces into the hot oil, suspending each one in the oil for a few seconds before you let go, so it doesn’t sink immediately and stick to the bottom. Deep-fry for 3 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Add 4 more pieces to the oil, then assemble the first taco.
- Spread some mayo mixture down the centre of a warmed tortilla and scatter over a little cabbage. Place deep-fried fish down the centre, spoon over some salsa, then squeeze over a wedge of lime. Top with coriander, roll up and serve. Repeat for each of the tacos.
- Recipe from August 2010 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 704kcals
- Fat
- 36.5g (6.3g saturated)
- Protein
- 28.5g
- Carbohydrates
- 62.5g (6.6g sugars)
- Salt
- 1.1g
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