WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: In Baja, battered and fried fish tacos are a common taco stand offering. We wanted a simple version with a perfect balance of flavors and textures: tender whitefish encased in a crisp coating and simply adorned with toppings like crunchy shredded cabbage and cooling crema. An ultrathin beer batter made with flour, cornstarch, and baking powder proved to be ideal for getting a light, crispy coating on the fish. Quick-pickled onions and jalapeños added tart spiciness, and tossing shredded cabbage with the pickling liquid added flavor without overcomplicating the dish. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best here. Cut the fish on a slight bias if your fillets aren’t quite 4 inches wide; you should end up with about 24 pieces of fish.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

FOR BAJA FISH TACOS:

• 2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips
• Salt and pepper
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup beer
• 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
• 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup Mexican crema
• 1 recipe Pickled Onion and Cabbage

FOR PICKLED ONION AND CABBAGE:

• 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
• ½ head red cabbage, cored and sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR BAJA FISH TACOS:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet.
2. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Add fish to batter and toss to coat evenly.
4. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
5. Remove 5 or 6 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together and turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
6. Transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining fish, working with 5 or 6 pieces at a time.
7. Serve with warm tortillas, cilantro, crema, and Pickled Onion and Cabbage.

FOR PICKLED ONION AND CABBAGE:

1. Toss onion, cabbage and salt together in colander set over medium bowl. Let stand for 1 hour.
2. Discard any liquid in bowl and rinse onion and cabbage under cold water. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Microwave sugar and vinegar in now-empty bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in onion and cabbage. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. (Pickled onion and cabbage can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)