#Baja cali fish tacos upgrade#
#Baja cali fish tacos free#

Fish taco recipeĦ00g dorado/mahi mahi fillets ( cod or halibut will do) cut into finger-size pieces 1 litre cooking oil 12 corn tortillasįor the batter 125g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp fine chilli powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper 250ml Mexican beer My definition is the number of fish tacos consumed before a morning’s cycling in Baja California. The dictionary definition of a tachometer is a device that measures how fast a vehicle’s axle rotates. The red salsa provides just enough spice, trailed perfectly by a refreshing smack of lime juice. The batter is light, the fish meaty the cabbage has peppery crunch, the chipotle sauce is smoky and smooth. But carefully loaded and pinched between thumb and finger, a taco can be easily delivered to your mouth, bringing, with a first bite and gentle sucking, a moment of Baja bliss. Add too much spice and your morning is ruined. Overload, and the ingredients will landslide down your front. But subsequent do-it-yourself application of salsas and salads from the bar transform your taco: a little chipotle mayonnaise, some pico de gallo salsa, a pinch of shredded cabbage, some fresh coriander, sliced radish and, of course, a squeeze of lime.ĭressing a fish taco is an art. Presented with pieces of fried fish in a corn pancake, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Photograph: Tom Kevill Davies/The Guardian ‘Buen provecho!’ Tacos being made at a taqueria in Baja California. Three warm corn tortillas were taken from a griddle, the fried fish was placed in the middle and the lot was handed over on a lurid plastic plate.

She would submerge a few hunks of lightly battered dorado into spitting oil, retrieving the golden morsels moments later and leave them to cool. Taking my place with the truck drivers, fishermen and rancheros, I would place my order with the smiling matriarch. Waking in the desert at first light, I would brew campfire coffee, pack my bike and then cycle to a taqueria in the next fishing village. Often little more than makeshift kitchens of gas bottles, griddles, corrugated metal and sun-bleached plastic furniture, these roadside vendors of Baja cuisine are a cyclist’s saviour. At daybreak their catch is available in tacos de pescado from numerous taquerias. Too much spice will ruin your morningĪt night the glimmer of lights from the pangas (fishing boats) reflects off the sea. Overload, and it will slide down your front. But as the Transpeninsular Highway turns east to hug the beaches of the Sea of Cortez, Mexico’s quintessential street food becomes decidedly fishy. In northern Baja, tacos are predominantly meaty, carne asada and tacos de tripa. The villages that sporadically took shape on the hazy horizon became my oases, welcome opportunities to rest, replenish supplies and eat tacos.

#Baja cali fish tacos free#

For the hot sauce, feel free to use your favorite! In the test kitchen, we like Cholula or Tapatio, but Tabasco or even Sriracha would also be delicious.Cycling the black ribbon of asphalt that weaves through the unceasing cactus forests, scrubland and arid mountains is monotonous, shadeless and hot. It’s the perfect pairing for our shrimp and cabbage slaw, and tbh, would go just as well on almost any of your favorite tacos. The true winner of these shrimp tacos? The garlic-lime mayo.You only need 4 ingredients (plus salt) to make it: mayo, hot sauce, lime zest, and garlic powder. Using a paring knife, make a thin incision next to the vein, then use the tip of your knife to remove it. *Technically* you can eat the vein, but it can make things a little gritty so we prefer to remove it. The tail can also be pulled off, but do it gently to preserve as much meat as possible. To do it, place your thumbs on the underside of the shrimp (where the legs are) and pull the shell away from the body.

But, if you bought them with the shells & tail on, don’t stress! Removing the shell and tail from shrimp is actually super easy. Since these shrimp are going in a taco, it's really best that they're totally free of shells. If you’ve got one, you can also heat your tortillas in a hot cast iron skillet. The char gives them a little smoky flavor, warms them up, and makes them more pliable. We use corn tortillas in this recipe, but if you prefer flour, you can use that instead! Whatever you choose, we like toasting our tortillas over the open flame on our stove. Serve 'em up with a margarita and extra hot sauce on the side, and you’ve got an easy dinner to come back to again and again.

#Baja cali fish tacos upgrade#

Ready to switch up the classic fish tacos? Upgrade the staple summer dinner with these cilantro-lime shrimp tacos! The combination of avocado slaw, marinated shrimp, and garlic-lime mayo makes for a seriously delicious taco.