Baja Style Fish Tacos

Have you seen ‘I Love You, Man’? If not, there is this scene where the two protagonists go to a place with the ‘best fish tacos’ around early on in their friendship. Well these Baja Style Fish Tacos are as close as we can come to ones they eat and at the same time feel like you’re in Baja California.

Watching them layer the delicious food onto their tacos, my eyes have convinced me they are a meal I’m dying to try. I’ve actually craved them. Is that possible? Craving something you’ve never actually eaten, well for me it seems to be.

That place exists in Venice, California, a location that’s not just down the road from me. So I set about making some of my own, in my usual endeavor of foreign flavors.

I initially thought that it makes sense where fish taco’s heritage lays – Baja California, Mexico. And a little research has turned up that I’m right. The thing about Baja is that it’s known for the fish being that there is so much coastline and honestly, there are so many great little stalls that serve food there that you’ll have something you’ll want to recreate in your own home if you’ve ever been lucky enough to try Baja tacos in person.

I’ve been down in that jut of land below California and the amount of beaches and bays I got to visit just in the small part of that landscape shows me why fish tacos would come from there. The water surrounds the inhabitants around almost every corner, there’s so much more sea then land.

This recipe has been hovering in my special recipe folder for some time and I have to say, it hits the taste buds just right. Even for a girl who’s from California and used to proper Mexican, this recipe is about as perfect as fish tacos can get.

How to prepare Baja Style Fish Tacos

• Make your salsa: Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Black beans: Cook the onions, garlic and spices and add the black beans to heat through.
• Cook the fish: Heat a frying pan and cook the fish.
• Warm your tortillas: Warm your tortillas and cover.
• Stack em: Lay a tortilla on a serving plate, top with a couple tablespoons of black beans, a piece of fish, salsa and finish with guacamole and sour cream.
• Serve: Serve immediately!

Tips for the best Baja Style Fish Tacos

Black beans: If you prefer, you could serve these tacos with refried beans and spices added, the black beans add a great depth to this dish so do recommend serving the tacos with a portion of beans.

Fresh fish: Baja conveniently has a lot of coastline so the freshest fish you can find will help make these taste incredible!

More Mexican dishes you’ll enjoy

Corn Queso Fundido

Huevos Rancheros

Carne Asada Tacos

Baja Style Fish Tacos
Adapted from Cuisine magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Salsa
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
Black Beans
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil
340 grams / 12 ounce canned black beans
Fish
500 grams / 1 pound fish fillets
1 teaspoon chili flakes
To Serve
12 corn tortillas
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Directions:
To prepare the salsa, place all ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the black beans, place the finely chopped onion, garlic, chili, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and coconut oil into a saucepan and cook on medium to high heat for approximately 2 minutes, stirring to heat fully through.

Add the black beans and stir on low heat until simmering, approximately 5 minutes. Set aside to serve.

To warm the tortillas, heat a small saucepan on low and place one tortilla until the edges rise slightly and they are lightly browned. Flip and heat the other side.

Place on a plate and cover with a warm tea towel. Continue with the remaining tortillas.

Meanwhile, place a large frying pan with a little oil on medium heat, once hot add the fish, sprinkle over chili and salt and pepper and cook on both sides until slightly brown, approximately 3 minutes each side.

Continue with the remaining fish fillets until all are cooked.

To serve, place the salsa, black beans, fish, guacamole and sour cream in individual bowls.

Serve and eat immediately.

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