Taco Tuesday


I did not realize that Cinco de Mayo was this week till I saw a post for enchiladas in one of the food blogs I follow. More evidence that I have completely lost track of date and time due to the lockdown. I am convinced that I am not the only one caught in this time warp as the New Yorker Magazine just came out with a cartoon called What Day is It? Luckily enough, we had all the fixings to make fish tacos at home. Because, hello, it is Cinco de Mayo? We must have Mexican food and beverages! So what if they do not really celebrate this day in Mexico and so what if we are not sure why the date is important in Mexican history? We just need an excuse to eat tacos. So Taco Tuesday it was to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The only thing we were missing was Mexican beer, but the Anchor Steam IPAs we had in the fridge was more than adequate.

I do not batter fry fish for the fish tacos I make on a regular basis. Deep frying is too much hassle and I do not undertake that task unless it is a special occasion. Typically, I lightly coat chunks of fish fillets in taco seasoning and pan fry them. Since today was a special Taco Tuesday (on account of Cinco de Mayo), I thought I would go the extra mile of dipping the fish in a beer batter and deep frying them. Though the process was more time consuming than my usual fish tacos, the final product had a great combination of textures and flavors -- soft tacos, crispy fish, crunchy shredded cabbage, and creamy lime zest-infused crema. We also had chips, salsa, and guacamole on the side.


What You Need:

Fish Tacos
1 lb firm-fleshed white fish fillet (I used Dover Sole today)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
11/2 tsp Taco seasoning
1/2 cup beer (preferably, dark Mexican beer)
2 cups shredded cabbage (I had a bag of pre-shredded cabbage)
Corn tortillas

Crema
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
4 tbsp water
Salt to taste

Directions:
Mix crema ingredients together and set aside.

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add beer, whisking to break down lumps. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

Wash fish fillet and pat dry. Cut fillet into 2-3 inch strips. Sprinkle with flour and taco seasoning.

Add enough oil to a frying pan to reach about 1 inch depth. Heat over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when a drop of batter added to the oil gradually rises to the surface.

Dip the fish fillet pieces in beer batter, dripping off the excess, and then add to the hot oil. Fry till golden brown (about 5 minutes), turning over once. Drain in paper towels or spread out in a baking tray and keep warm in oven if not serving immediately.

Roast corn tortillas over an open flame.

Place 2-3 pieces of fried fish on each taco. Top with shredded cabbage and crema. 






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Khoba Roti

Image
Do you ever get a tune stuck in your head? That happens to me with food -- instead of a tune, a new dish/preparation gets stuck in my head and till I actually cook whatever it is I am obsessing over, it stays with me. That was the case with this Khoba Roti that has been in the back of my mind for a long time -- ever since I saw the winning team of the Big Family Cooking Showdown make them in the finals. A regional variation of the basic Indian roti, this rustic, whole-wheat flatbread with handmade patterns, hails from the majestic state of Rajasthan. Before I saw Khoba Roti in the show, I did not know that any Indian flatbread had patterns on them. This, in itself, made it an enigma worth exploring. The technique for creating the patterns by pinching the dough was simple as well as fascinating. I could see that the ridges helped the dough cook evenly and formed nooks and crannies for the ghee to collect. In spite of my extensive musings on the Khoba Roti, I shied away from making...
Read more

The Echo

"Today at 5:00 PM, Modi has asked everyone to come to their windows, balconies, and rooftops to make some noise -- ring bells, beat thalis (metal plates), blow conch shells, clap our hands," my mother announced during one of our daily phone calls. "Why? To ward off Corona?" I found myself asking, realizing both the incredulity of the question and the probability of this scenario actually playing out in India. India is the land of magical realism, a place where the mundane is never too far removed from the fantastic. It is a place where life is firmly rooted in the ever-present reality of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and corruption. Yet, the supernatural lurks at every street corner promising escape and oblivion. " Jaani na, kintu hoteo paare." (I don't know, but it is possible.) My mother went on to elaborate that some times loud noises create reverberations that can ward off evil spirits. "Why else do temples and churches ring their bells an...
Read more

The Incredible Egg

Image
This week has gone by in a flurry...well, as much of a flurry as this lockdown allows. We have settled into a rhythm of sorts --  calls and virtual meetings all day, a quick lunch in-between, a walk around the neighborhood in the evening, then dinner followed by a show or movie on Netflix. We hardly get a chance to talk to each other during the day, but I am thankful that we are together under one roof and safe. It is amazing how this virus and the lockdown has altered our lives. I went into work briefly one day to pick up some documents. That seemingly routine activity felt like a highly risky endeavor. I discussed the decision with my husband who told me I should only go if those documents were absolutely essential. My kids, uncharacteristically for them, expressed concern about me going into work and I had to assure them that I would be back before they knew it. I had to request permission to go into the office building and certify that I did not have any of the common sympto...
Read more