Fried Fish Tacos
I love fish tacos. I made them for the first time a few months ago using Catfish. Fish tacos can be made with pretty much any fleshy white fish. I've since refined my technique and while there is still a lot I can improve on, I have created a rather solid method for fried tilapia tacos. This is a wonderful meal for a party or large group. It's fun to create a buffet of toppings and allow guests to create their own tacos. It's difficult to go wrong with toppings; the hard part is making it all fit in the small corn tortillas! There is a well known restaurant near my apartment called Mercadito; I have yet to actually eat there but they have a $20 all-you-can-eat taco night on Tuesdays! I'll have to check it out for toppings and sauce inspiration. All the cutting and prep work for the toppings can be done ahead of time when you marinate the fish. This way it's all ready to go as soon as you fry the fish. Enjoy this meal with some mojitos or corona and you've got a fantastic fiesta on your hands! I picked up delicious Indonesian Tilapia from Rainbo's Fish at Essex Market this weekend. They sell "Uptown fish at downtown prices" and have sushi grade fish too
Total Steps
8
Ingredients
16
Tools Needed
4
Ingredients
- 0 Tilapia
- 0 Buttermilk
- 0 Hot <a href="/SWV3CGDQ">pepper </a>sauce
- 1 tablespoon <a href="/HSBJL3L8">lime juice</a>
- 1 handful chopped <a href="/835SF6DX">cilantro</a>
- 0 Flour
- 0 <a href="/X2GCXP48">Cayenne </a>powder
- 0 <a href="/7XW6LVSM">Olive </a>oil
- 0 Spanish rice
- 0 <a href="/835SF6DX">Cilantro,</a> chopped
- 0 <a href="/62TMPRRY">Green onions,</a> sliced
- 0 Red <a href="/YCPMHNRB">onion,</a> chopped
- 0 <a href="/TSZ3573V">Avocado </a>slices
- 0 <a href="/LTS3W8XM">Green </a><a href="/8RWT36N2">cabbage,</a> sliced
- 0 Salsa
- 0 <a href="/Y5K7YSXM">Lime </a>wedges
Instructions
Step 1
<a href="/8BSVY4LZ">Wash </a>the tilapia and place in a glass bowl. Fill the bowl with buttermilk until fish is immersed. Add in hot pepper sauce depending on how spicy you like your food. Then add in lime <a href="/QDWRNXYW">juice </a>and cilantro. Gently <a href="/7S3QCKWK">mix </a>the ingredients and <a href="/TCL6N2Z7">flip </a>the tilapia to make sure the pepper sauce and cilantro are evenly dispersed. Cover and <a href="/Z7DWVT8G">marinate </a>in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours and no more than 3 hours.
Step 2
In a large <a href="/QQVZX64Y">dish </a>or bowl <a href="/7S3QCKWK">mix </a>flour and cayenne powder (amount depends on your <a href="/XZFHRHHF">heat </a>tolerance).
Step 3
<a href="/XZFHRHHF">Heat </a>olive oil in a pan. Keep olive oil readily available as you will need to add more between each fish filet.
Step 4
Taking one filet at a time, remove from the marinade and place in the flour mixture to fully <a href="/6BTCX64M">coat. </a>Then place the <a href="/6BTCX64M">coated </a>filet <a href="/RNT367Z2">bake </a>in the buttermilk mixture briefly before placing back into the flour mixture for a second time. This double dipping in the buttermilk and flour mixtures makes the <a href="/NZ2LK8CC">fried </a><a href="/6BTCX64M">coating </a>extra thick and crispy.
Step 5
Place filet in the pan. <a href="/NZ2LK8CC">Fry </a>on each side for about 4 minutes
Step 6
Place <a href="/NZ2LK8CC">fried </a>filets on a pan in the oven at 200 degrees to keep <a href="/FVYNJCCW">warm </a>and cook further while you prepare the other filets.
Step 7
<a href="/XZFHRHHF">Heat </a>corn tortillas over a <a href="/3J4YNDT6">flame </a>for about 20 seconds on each side and <a href="/TCL6N2Z7">flip </a>with tongs. Cover to keep <a href="/FVYNJCCW">warm.</a>
Step 8
Put out the <a href="/R34ZSY3M">toppings </a>and start creating delicious fish tacos!