Drunken Fish Tacos

Crispy Drunken Fish Tacos Recipe

Hello! Let's prepare some tacos that are a pure party for your palate. The magic of this dish lies in the «drunken» batter, a beer-based coating that leaves the fish incredibly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, ideal for a relaxed weekend meal.

Preparation time

Getting organized is key for the fish to come out hot and crispy just in time to eat. Here are the estimated times for you to plan your kitchen day:

• Preparation: 25 minutes
• Cooking: 15 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes
• Servings: 4 people (3 tacos per person)
• Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 500 g white fish fillet (tilapia, cod, or red snapper)
• Salt (to taste)
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• Vegetable oil (enough for frying, approximately 500 ml)
• 12 corn tortillas

For the batter (the drunken mix)

• 1 cup all-purpose wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup light or dark beer (must be very cold)
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the garnish and sauce

• 1/4 purple or white cabbage
• 2 lemons (their juice)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo (or to taste)
• Fresh cilantro (a small bunch)

If you can't find fresh white fish, you can use large cleaned shrimp to make a different version. If you prefer to avoid alcohol, you can substitute beer with very cold sparkling mineral water; the effect of the bubbles is similar to achieve that airy texture in the batter. If you're looking for inspiration for other seafood variations, the Baja California style fish tacos are a classic reference that shares this battering technique.

Utensils we will use

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Medium bowl (for the batter mixture)
• Whisk or fork
• Deep frying pan or medium pot (for frying)
• Kitchen tongs
• Plate with absorbent paper
• Blender or small food processor (for the sauce)
• Griddle or flat pan (for warming tortillas)

Preparation

1. Prepare the fish and the side dish

   Cutting and seasoning the fish. Lightly wash the fillets under the tap and dry them very well with paper towels. It is vital that they are dry for the mixture to adhere. Cut the fish into strips approximately 2 to 3 centimeters wide by 8 centimeters long. Season the strips with salt and pepper on both sides and set them aside on a plate.

2. Cabbage preparation. Cut the cabbage into very thin julienne strips. Place it in a small bowl with a little water and a few drops of disinfectant or vinegar for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside. This will give a crispier and cleaner texture when biting into the taco.
3. Preparation of the creamy dressing. In the blender, place the mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers, and the juice of half a lemon. Process until you get a homogeneous, light salmon-colored sauce. Pour into a small bowl and refrigerate until serving.

4. Make the drunk mix

   Dry mix. In a medium bowl, sift the flour together with the baking powder, garlic powder, oregano, and half a teaspoon of salt. Sifting helps prevent lumps in the final batter.

5. Incorporation of liquids. Add the egg to the center of the flour. With the whisk, begin to mix while gradually pouring in the cold beer. Whisk vigorously until you get a smooth, lump-free batter with a consistency similar to pancake batter (neither too liquid nor too thick). If it's too thick, add a little more beer.

6. Frying the fish

   Heating the oil. Pour the oil into the deep frying pan or pot. Heat it over medium-high heat. To know if it's ready, drop a tiny bit of the mixture; if it immediately bubbles up, the temperature is correct. If it smokes, lower the heat or the fish will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.

7. Battering and frying. Take a strip of fish with tongs, submerge it in the beer batter mixture ensuring it is completely covered. Lightly drain the excess and carefully place it in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan; fry 3 pieces at a time to avoid lowering the oil temperature.
8. Even cooking. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, until they have a deep golden color and the crust feels firm to the touch with tongs.
9. Draining. Remove the fish from the oil and place it on a plate with absorbent paper to remove excess fat. Repeat the process with all the fish.

10. To finish and serve

    Heat the tortillas on the griddle until soft and flexible. To assemble, place two strips of fish on each tortilla, add a handful of fresh cabbage, drizzle with chipotle dressing, and finish with a few drops of lime and cilantro leaves.

Serve immediately while the fish is hot and the tortilla is soft. Accompany these tacos with a refreshing drink. If you have leftover fresh ingredients like cilantro or lime, you could prepare a pink shrimp aguachile as a fresh appetizer before the main course.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Proteins: 18 g
• Fats: 14 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 3 g

The values shown are approximate estimates per serving (2 tacos) and may vary depending on the brand of ingredients or the amount of oil absorbed during frying.

5 keys to make it perfect

Achieving that crispy batter that crunches when you bite into it and doesn't detach from the fish has its science. Here I explain the secrets so you don't fail in the attempt:

1. The temperature of the beer is vital.
We use very cold beer because the thermal shock between the icy batter and the hot oil creates an immediate reaction that seals the outer layer. In addition, the carbonation of the beer helps to aerate the batter, making the coating light and not a heavy paste of flour.

2. Drying the fish is not optional.
If the fish is wet, a layer of steam is created between the meat and the batter when frying. This causes the coating to slip off and fall. Take the time to dry each fillet with paper towels before seasoning.

3. Do not overcrowd the pan.
When putting many pieces of cold fish in at the same time, the oil temperature drops drastically. Instead of frying and sealing, the fish begins to absorb oil like a sponge, becoming greasy and soft. Cook in small batches and be patient.

4. Resting the batter.
Although it can be used immediately, letting the batter mixture rest for about 10 minutes before using it allows the gluten to relax and the baking powder to start activating, improving the final texture.

5. Serve immediately.
The moisture from the fish and sauces will attack the crispiness of the batter as minutes pass. This is a «from the pan to the mouth» dish. Have the tortillas and sauces ready before you start frying the last batch.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

These Drunken Fish Tacos are the star dish for hot days or informal outdoor gatherings. They are perfect as a weekend craving when you have friends over and want to offer something fun to eat with your hands. They also work very well during Lent season or as a fresh and relaxed alternative for a coastal-style Christmas menu, breaking with the tradition of heavy dishes.

Comparison table

Frequently asked questions

Share your experience

Cooking is for experimenting and sharing. I'd love to know how these tacos turned out for you, if you dared to use a dark beer, or if you added your personal touch to the sauce. Leave your comment and share your own little tricks with the community!

Culinary glossary

Battered/Coated: A cooking technique that consists of covering a food with a liquid mixture (generally based on flour and egg) before frying it, creating a golden outer layer.

Julienne: Cutting vegetables into thin, elongated strips. In this recipe, we use this cut for the cabbage, allowing it to be easy to eat inside the taco.

Smoke point: It is the temperature at which oil begins to burn and smoke, degrading its flavor and quality. We must fry before reaching this point.

Sift: Passing dry ingredients (like flour) through a sieve to aerate them and break up lumps, ensuring a finer mixture.

Plating: It is the art of arranging food on the plate aesthetically before serving it to diners.