Gluten Free Baja Fish Tacos with Fresh Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
1 recipe Gluten Free Flour Tortillas from page 203 of GFOAS Bakes Bread (reprinted here on the blog)
For the Chipotle Sauce
1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (84 g) sour cream
1 chipotle chili in adobo, rinsed and seeds removed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons sugar
For the Fish Tempura
1 1/2 pounds firm white fish fillets (I used tilapia)
6 tablespoons (54 g) cornstarch, plus more for dredging
3/4 cup (120 g) superfine white rice flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) warm water
Oil, for frying
For Serving
2 cups shredded red cabbage
6 ounces cotija cheese or queso fresco, crumbled
Sour cream
Instructions
Make the tortillas. Prepare the flour tortillas according to the recipe instructions, cutting the raw tortillas into 6-inch rounds before cooking them in a hot, dry skillet. Set the tortillas, wrapped in a moist tea towel, aside while you make the fish tempura.
Make the chipotle sauce. Place all of the chipotle sauce ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Set the sauce aside.
Prepare the fish tempura. Slice the fish fillets into strips about 3-inches long and about 3/4-inch wide. Blot them dry with a paper towel, and set the fish aside. In a large bowl, place the 6 tablespoons cornstarch, the white rice flour and the salt, and whisk to combine well. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the warm water until well-combined. Create a well in the center of the large bowl with the cornstarch and white rice mixture, and pour in the water and egg yolk mixture in a slow and steady stream, whisking to combine constantly. The tempura batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream.
Fry the fish. In separate medium-size bowl, place enough extra cornstarch for dredging the fish strips before dipping them in the tempura batter. Next to the cornstarch, place the tempura batter. Place about 3-inches of frying oil in a medium-size, heavy-bottom pot or fryer. Clip a deep-fry/candy thermometer to the side of the pot or fryer, and place the oil over medium-high heat. Bring the oil temperature to 360°F. Dredge each piece of fish in the cornstarch to coat lightly, then dip in the tempura batter and allow much of the batter to drip off the fish. Place the fish strips, a few at a time, in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the oil. The fish should bubble up immediately in the hot oil. Fry until the bubbling begins to subside and the fish strips are very lightly golden brown all over (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). As soon as each batch is removed from the fryer, place on a wire rack placed over paper towels to drain and cool completely.
Assemble the tacos. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of chipotle sauce in the center of each flour tortilla. Top with 2 fried fish strips, about 3 tablespoons of shredded cabbage, 2 tablespoons crumbled cheese, and another tablespoon of chipotle sauce. Serve immediately.
