Cali-Baja Fish Tacos
Tacos de Pescado Cali-Baja
Recipe Yield
6 Servings
Cooking time
40 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra flour for dusting the fish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt or to taste, plus more to season the fish
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup Mexican beer preferably a light beer (but anything short of a very dark bitter beer will work)
- Safflower or canola oil for frying
- 1 pound mild firm white fish such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut into 1x4-inch strips
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
To Prepare
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, set with the paddle attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
- In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the salt and cumin and whisk in the Mexican beer. In 4 additions, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg whites, taking care not to deflate the egg whites.
- Pour the oil into a heavy, wide skillet or casserole to a depth of ¼” and heat over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Test the heat by dipping a wooden spoon or the tip of a piece of fish into the oil: it should bubble happily around whatever you introduce into it. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet and cover the rack with paper towels. If you don’t have a cooling rack, just cover the baking sheet with paper towels.
- While the oil is heating, you can season and flour the fish strips. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate, and gently press each fish strip into the flour, flip over and flour the other side. Tap off excess flour and place on the rack.
- When the oil is hot, one by one, dip the floured fish strips into the batter and immediately, but gently, place into the hot oil. Add as many as you can without crowding the pan. Fry until crisp and lightly golden brown, which should take 2 to 3 minutes; then flip and fry on the other side, for another 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.
- Remove with tongs - the type with the heat-proof coating on the ends are best, if you want to avoid tearing the batter - or a slotted spoon and place on the paper towel-covered rack. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Serve on a flour tortilla with salsa macha and creamy slaw. Optional, pickled red onion and a jalapeño marinated in fresh squeezed lime juice and salt to taste.
Comments
128comments inCali-Baja Fish Tacos
Rosalinda Sauseda
Mar 07
You make the best food, I Love watching you on kpbs, I right down your recipes the are the best, your Wonderful. To watch, and where you travel too , to get these Wonderful Mexican Recipes, Thank You and Keep up the Great Job you Do , Your One Of A Kind, may God Bless you and Your Wonderful Family and the Crew that helps you do ,the Job you Do to bring us Wonderful Recipes, Lots of Love , ,Rosalinda
Pati Jinich
Mar 10
This is incredibly kind and sweet of you Rosalinda, muchas gracias!
Sylvia Bennett
Feb 15
The fish were fantastic as have many other recipes of yours I have tried through the years. I hope you stay on the air for many more years. Thank you Pati
Pati Jinich
Feb 21
Thanks to you Sylvia, this is very sweet of you 🙂
Terry Walker
Jan 31
I can’t wait to try this! Patient is a wonderful cook, and beautiful inside and out~ Her personality makes her a perfect chef, entertainer, family oriented lady.
I enjoy watching her more than any other chef on TV.
Thank you, Pati for your phenomenal recipes, and your passion for cooking for us… God bless~
Pati Jinich
Feb 01
Terry! Thanks so very much, I am touched, gracias!
paulinemarie@email.com
Jan 28
Hola Chef Pati, I absolutely love,love your show and how you take your time showing exactly how to prepare your delicious meals. Thank you so much!
If you ever have a give away to visit your kitchen learning to cook along side of you, I’m definitely going to try to win.
Pati Jinich
Jan 30
Thanks so very much Pauline, big hugs!
Mike
Jan 27
Thks great recipe
Pati Jinich
Jan 27
My pleasure!
Tom
Feb 20
I prepared these and they were super delicious.
But I made a mistake and used corn tortillas by accident! It must have been soon after watching your video describing about the necessity of corn tortillas for tacos….. 🙂
Pati Jinich
Mar 08
Haha, to be honest, I like my fish tacos on corn tortilla as much as on flour 🙂
Vivianne
Nov 13
Delicious recipe, would the beer make the batter be more crispy? I did not put beer and the flavor was mild but the batter was not crispy. The slaw and Everything else was A+ Thank you!!!
Pati Jinich
Dec 11
Yes, the beer is a must in this recipe Vivianne!
Sherry Feugill
Oct 10
Hi Pati.
Just started watching your show and love, love it!
Question, when doing the Baja fish tacos and you were making the greamy green slaw, what is the brand of Mexican Crema are you using?
Pati Jinich
Oct 24
Any Mexican crema you can find in your Latin or Hispanic Market works well Sherry. So very happy you found me, yay!
Krystal H.
Jan 28
Pati, I don’t have a standing paddle mixer, can I use a hand mixer for the egg whites?
Pati Jinich
Jan 30
Absolutely Krystal, it works just fine!
Carla
Aug 16
Hola Pati, gracias por enseñarnos a cocinar rico! Quería saber cual marca de cerveza es mejor para estos tacos?
Pati Jinich
Sep 05
La marca que a ti te guste mas Carla, solo que de preferencia sea clara porque a veces con oscura la mezcla se hace un poco agria 🙂
Norma tapia
Jan 27
Hi Pati soy de Rosarito B,C y amo los fish tacos.Muchas felicidades tus recetas se miran deliciosas. 👌💕
Pati Jinich
Jan 27
Mil gracias Norma, un abrazo!
Rickety
Mar 05
I stumbled across your TV show on Samsung’s TV Plus and enjoy your format. I will look for your other shows. I finally made one of your recipes and it was phenomenal. I adjusted for a spicier flavor. Everything was great; the slaw, the onions, and the fish was incredible. A nice light crust.
These are easily the best fish tacos I’ve ever had. Thanks.
Pati Jinich
Mar 06
So very happy you found me, yay!!!! Thanks for the awesome review on these tacos, gracias Rickety!
Dori
Mar 20
This is the second recipe of yours that my husband and I tried. We have never eaten fish tacos before but the TV show we saw made us want to try it and we had enjoyed your Bolillo rolls and Chile charred pork so much. I also made all the fixings you linked to the recipe. Amazing! (I had to substitute for the mayo and egg whites – allergy to eggs). Your recipes have so much flavor without being overpowering. They take a lot of prep to make with all the fixings but they are so worth the effort. Thank you for a new Lenten favorite.
Pati Jinich
Mar 20
So glad you are having fun and enjoying these recipes Dori 😉
Cheri Mayfield
Jan 16
I was craving battered fried fish when I saw this episode a while back, but I’ve pretty much only ever pan fried fish at home. This recipe looked so good and Pati, your step by step instructions made it seem do-able, so I gave it a try, and it was soooooo good!! We loooove your recipes!! Thanks for so generously sharing your passion for so many wonderful recipes.
Pati Jinich
Feb 07
Thanks to you Cheri, so glad to read this! Un abrazo 😉
Bree
Jan 09
Love these ! Made them for dinner with the pickled red onions, salsa macha and the creamy green slaw. My husband love this dinner. The batter on the fish was so light and really suited the cod I used. Will make this again for our family night get to together. Thank you Pati for sharing these recipes!!!
Pati Jinich
Feb 04
My pleasure Bree! So glad you guys enjoyed your dinner 😉
Osvaldo y Linda
Nov 28
Wow! My wife and I have been watching your show and we have been cooking your recipes. Our goal, to try as many as you recipes every week. These tacos are our go to for entertaining. Gracias! Dios te bendiga!
Pati Jinich
Dec 28
Gracias a ustedes Osvaldo y Linda, keep me posted on what you’re cooking 🙂
Mastaneh O
Oct 04
The batter you made for fish is fantastic , what can I use to substitute for beer , can I use club soda ?
Pati Jinich
Oct 05
Absolutely, go for it 🙂
Juan C.
Aug 07
I love that recipe 👍
Pati Jinich
Aug 15
So happy to hear, yay Juan 🙂
Aracely Carcamo
Aug 03
Hola Paty se acerca Septiembre, me encantaria la receta original de los Chiles en Nogada! Los preparas tú?
Pati Jinich
Aug 15
Si! Que emocion, de mis temporadas favoritas porque me encantan los Chiles en Nogada, aqui te pongo el enlace a mi receta Aracely, ojala que los disfrutes. Un abrazo 🙂 http://patijinich.com/chiles_en_nogada_at_last/
Margo A Gray
Aug 01
Definitely will cook this fish taco
Pati Jinich
Aug 14
Awesome Margo, enjoy!
Dawn Marie Klauke
Jul 31
Too good
Pati Jinich
Aug 14
Happy you like it Dawn!
Linda
Jul 30
Love fish tacos, thank you for sharing so much. Very happy your family is going hiking, have a ball.
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
Gracias Linda!
Lynn from Kansas
Jul 30
My mouth is watering!
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
🙂
Linda Patch
Jul 30
Thanks, Patti. I was going to make fish tacos tonight so I’m gonna try this recipe. I’m sure it will be delicious. Good timing. Safe travels!
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
I hope you enjoyed the tacos Linda 😉
Merrill
Jul 30
HI Pati,
In the short description you suggest serving on corn tortillas, but the recipe says flour tortillas. I guess either type will work, but which would be better?
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
You are absolutely right Merrill, sorry for the confusion. Most of the times I am partial to corn tortillas, but these tacos are originally served on flour. Enjoy!
Carol
Jul 30
Quick question regarding the matcha salsa, which we love…we’ve had it at our now-closed favorite restaurant in Seattle, but it was smooth, whereas yours looks chunky. Is there any reason not to blend it to a smooth consistency? Or are there other similar matcha recipes that produce a smoother consistency? Thanks and looking forward to the new season.
Pati Jinich
Aug 11
Hey Carol, you can blend it if you prefer, it is just that I love the crunchy version of it. Enjoy!
Bruce Schomisch
Jul 20
They looked SOoo Good
Pati Jinich
Jul 21
They are yummy good Bruce 🙂
Gary & Stephanie
Apr 17
Just made the Cali-Baja taco’s with all the toppings. WOW, thank you Pati for introducing us to all these authentic flavors! We enjoy your show and all your recipes!
Pati Jinich
Apr 25
Thanks so much guys, so happy you enjoy the tacos and that you are tuning in 🙂
Alejandra
Mar 30
I added a tiny bit of mustard to the green slaw and it gave it that kick 🙂
Pati Jinich
Apr 04
Great idea Alejandra, thanks for sharing 😉
Debra Garland
Mar 06
Nice! The Fish Taco recipe is wonderful.
Love the egg whites idea, and all the details in this dish.
Thank you so much!!
Pati Jinich
Mar 07
Thanks to you for the feedback Debra, so glad you liked these tacos 😉
catherinewgodbbold@gmail.com
Feb 20
Love your recipes.I have a question about the salsa you serve with tthe baha calil fish tacos,do I really need to use one and 1half cups of oil?
Pati Jinich
Feb 20
Hi Catherine! So glad you like these tacos. About the Salsa Macha, if you consider that this recipe yields 3 cups of salsa and that it calls for nuts and dried chiles, then 1 1/2 cups of olive oil is really not that much. Hope you give it a chance, enjoy!
Aimee
Jan 27
I was wondering where you get your tiny chime grinder? For like the small chiles like the Pequin and others?
Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Jan 31
Hey Aimee, I got mine in a street market in Mexico, but they sell them online as well; look it up as “chiltepin grinder” 🙂
Mrs. Gonzalez
Jan 03
Pati, these are hands down the best fish tacos I have tried both in SoCal and Mexico-los mejores de los mejores! I’m a little lazy to do things like whip egg whites, but it absolutely makes a difference. The Salsa Macha is my new favorite on ANYTHING, and the pickled onions were already a secret weapon since you published the Pollo Pibil recipe some years ago. El unico cambio? Tienen que ser con unas buenas tortillas de maiz (my personal preference).
I have three boys similar to yours in ages, and your tv show is one of the few that we sometimes watch together, both for the delicious food and the rich stories and heritage behind it. Gracias por hacer un programa tan lleno de orgullo y amor por Mexico, y por ser una persona digna de representar a su pais y ser una liga entre los ciudadanos de los dos lados. Te mando un abrazo y muchas porras para seguir adelante!
Pati Jinich
Jan 06
Te agradezco muchisimo las porras y tus lindas palabras, que amable! Me encanta saber que les gustaron estos tacos, les mando abrazos a todos 😉
Laura Waters
Dec 10
I love you pati !!! I’m a big fan!! I’ve been watching you for a long time !!! I saw you when you came to San Antonio,,,, Elian Hotel & Spa
You even signed my cookbook! 😍 I have some pictures too!! 💙💙
I will be cooking this recipe this weekend!!! 🐟 I love ingredients you can drink! 😂🍺
Big Love hugs from SAN ANTONIO!!!
Pati Jinich
Dec 11
Thanks so much for the sweet words Laura, looking forward to visiting San Antonio soon. Un abrazo!
Edith Sandoval
Dec 05
Hi Patti,
Just made the fish tacos with all the garnishes you recommended. WOW, what an amazing dish. My man and I were overwhelmed with the explosion of flavors! Thank you.
Pati Jinich
Dec 06
Yay Edith! So glad you guys enjoyed these tacos 🙂
Virginia Lopez
Oct 13
Hola Patti….going for it for dinner tonight. I just don’t have the salsa matcha. I do; however, have my own canned 💃 salsa. We make our own flour tortillas (gonna use corn though)…..😜 crazy thing I’ve never had a fish 🌮. The hubby asked me to make some so naturally I am leaning towards your recipe.. Wish me luck! Hope all is well with you. Stay safe.
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Hola Virginia, how did the tacos come out?
Don & Carolyn McPherson
Sep 21
Hi Pati
My wife Carolyn and i love you and your show. Cannot wait to try try your beer batter the next time with have fish.
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
Hi Don and Carolyn, thanks for tuning in guys! Hope you will do as well for the big premiere of the New Season from Sonora this October 3, enjoy!
Daniel
Sep 13
Hi Pati! Thank you for teaching us about the different cuisines of México and inspiring us all to love Mexican cuisine as much as you do! Even though Mexican ingredients are hard to find here in Australia, tracking them down is worth it because the end result is always great.
I was just curious as to why you have opted for flour tortillas for the recipe? Is this the traditional tortilla used in Ensenada fish tacos? Is it because they prefer flour tortilla in the North? Or is it American influence since Baja borders California? Anyhow, I’m sure it’s delicious with both corn or flour 😊
Pati Jinich
Sep 17
Hola Daniel and greetings to Australia! About the flour tortillas, I think it is a bit of everything you say, but definitely flour is more popular than corn in the North of Mexico. Keep cooking and having fun 😉
SUE ZACKS
Sep 03
IM GOING TO MAKE THESE LUSCIOUS FISH TACOS TODAY OF TOMORROW!
Pati Jinich
Sep 05
Awesome Sue, how did they come out! Hope you enjoyed them 😉
Marla from Toronto, Canada
Aug 12
Enjoy your show. Love your recipes. Easy and simple to make using fresh ingredients. Always so tasty.
Pati Jinich
Aug 12
Thank you so much Marla! New season premiering the first weekend of October, enjoy 😉
Mary González
Jul 21
Dear Pati,
On this episode, you spoke to a woman who makes the fish tacos and sells them from her cart. I think you said she includes grated garlic in her batter. Did I understand that correctly? I love your batter recipe, but would love a little more info about it with garlic. Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Jul 26
Yes Mary, I spoke to Martha from Lily’s Tacos, she adds garlic and onion to her batter and also a bit of mustard, those are her secrets. Enjoy!
Lydia Juaréz
Jul 04
Señora bella, I love your recipes and they are easy to follow, the fish taco batter is excellent. My family loves everything I cook from your authentically delicious selections. One question, the beautiful braising is the larger size I’m looking for. Is it Le Creuset? What size? Thank you 😊
Pati Jinich
Jul 05
Thanks for the kind words Lydia! Yes, it is a Le Creuset 5.5 qt, I love it!
Diana V.
Jun 14
The best fish tacos. The beer makes the batter like pancake batter, thus making the fish crust fluffy and crispy good. My go to for veggies and shrimp, too. Gracias, Marcela.
Pati Jinich
Jun 18
Gracias a ti! Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe 😉
Jean Dreher
May 10
Watched you making this recipe on your show. My husband and I can’t wait to make this! Looks amazing!
Happy Mother’s Day Pati
Pati Jinich
May 11
Thank you Jean! Hope you had a great day as well 😉
Bob Naegele
Feb 03
This is just the best batter for fish tacos…
Like others have said, try it with shrimp, too.
Salmon is also delicious.
Pati Jinich
Feb 04
Glad you like them Bob!
Ian Allen
Nov 06
Just saw the episode that has this recipe but where can I find the recipe for the tortilla?
We’re going to try this recipe asap.
Pati Jinich
Nov 11
Here it is, Ian: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/flour-tortillas/
Trudy Richardson
Oct 12
Thank you so much!
Love this
Pati Jinich
Oct 12
😀
Perlita
Aug 11
En donde se ubica la señora Guerrerense? Sobre que calles se pone?
Pati Jinich
Aug 15
Aquí: http://laguerrerense.com/
Kate Ward
Jul 18
I don’t like to use the suggested oils …,what other oil could I use to deep fry the fish – Thank you for any direction you can give me
Pati Jinich
Aug 09
You can use peanut oil instead of safflower or canola oil, Kate.
LauraN
Jul 17
These were simply amazing! Ive made them with shrimp also and they were just as good. I went to a mexican restaurant and ordered these. How disappointing! Just fish and tartar sauce…. they should use your recipe!!!!
Pati Jinich
Jul 18
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Laura!
Vinnie
Jul 06
Love your recipes!
Pati Jinich
Jul 08
Thank you, Vinnie!
S.L.M.
Jun 16
Just made these, they’re amazing! Haddock worked perfectly.
Pati Jinich
Jun 18
So happy to hear this, S.L.M.
aanjali Edwards
Jun 05
I loved it!Me and my brother wanted to make it so badly but my mom said NO.You are the best mexican cook i ever saw on the TV before!It is so hard to describe you !
Pati Jinich
Jun 06
Thank you, Aanjali!
Anne
Apr 08
Best find from this great recipe was the salsa macha. WOW! What flavor. I’m going to keep a pot of this in the fridge for quick chicken, sweet potato and sweet pepper bowls. This satisfied all our umami tastebuds. Thanks Pati!!
Pati Jinich
Apr 13
Super! I sometimes eat it right out of the jar….
Tcooks
Apr 03
It’s funny that I accidentally made these with corn tortillas (hey, my best excuse is that I was recently watching your video about which kind of tortillas are most often used…) and only after serving them I noticed it calls for flour after all!
Never mind my mistake, they were positively good with flavors working in very delicious complement together.
Pati Jinich
Apr 13
Oh they are so good either way!
Anne
Feb 24
Luv fish tacos, do you have a recipe for creamy slaw? What to make them right. Thank you 😀
Pati
Feb 25
Here you go, Anne: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/creamy-green-slaw/
mishel
Jan 29
i like your style and of cooking also, you make cooking look so easy . also like when your boys come eat at table, and you showing them how to cook, make me so hungry. i like your show and everything you cook. is yummy. like your accent too/ and especially the way you say the P word- not going to spell it out. but i love it. admirable
Pati
Feb 02
Thank you for tuning in, Mishel.
Jacquie
Jan 24
Best fish tacos ever!!! After moving from So Cal to the East Coast my husband and I were craving some authentic food inspired from south of the boarder. As we were randomly flipping through channels we saw you cooking these and and couldn’t stop watching. Thank God for you and your cooking show and your recipies!!! This fish taco recipe was not only simple but also delicious (we used fresh wild caught cod and light corona). Even my 2 year old loved it! Thank you thank you, I’m excited to make more of your meals!
Pati
Jan 25
I’m so glad you found me and the taco recipe, Jacquie!
Sara
Jan 12
My Mom and I love your shows and the recipes! Every Saturday we watch then Sunday we try. Some weeks are more successful than others, but we always have fun. It’s a great way to spend time with my Mom!
Pati
Jan 14
Oh please say hi to your mom for me, Sara!
Bob in Nampa, Idaho
Jan 12
the best fish taco batter EVER… I used fresh salmon filet, cut as directed, and it was excellent!
We just moved to Idaho from San Diego and miss the great fish (and shrimp) tacos from some of the local spots.
The slaw mix was perfect, too. Actually had people talking about how good the slaw was.
Only change I made was for the salsa macha. I wasn’t ambitious enough to make it, so I used one of my favorite “off the rack” salsas; Herdez Salsa Ranchera. Wanted shrimp tacos, too, and I had enough batter left over to do some shrimp, too. Taco Tuesday was a hit.
Pati
Jan 14
Your Taco Tuesday sounds super yum, Bob!
Will
Nov 22
Wow you are “maravillosa” love the recipes but more than anything the way you present them that makes my mouth watery. Love the accent and the and the sprinkle of Spanish words…delightful
Pati
Nov 24
Aww thanks, Will!
Jennifer in Colorado
Nov 22
I live in Colorado and we do not have a good selection of fresh fish at our market. Can I use frozen filets or would you recommend only fresh fish?
Pati
Nov 28
You can also use frozen filets, Jennifer. Enjoy!
Tom & Linda -San Diego...
Oct 21
We record all the shows. Wife knows I’m in love with Pati and doesn’t care because everyone’s in love with Pati and her cooking…
There isn’t ‘1’ recipe that we have tried that we weren’t blown away by. Looking forward to trying so many more.
Thank you… and don’t stop sharing..
Pati
Oct 22
Aww thank you so much Tom and Linda!
Michael
Oct 13
I love your wonderful dishes. Living in Texas all my life and I have never found such a good recipe for fish tacos. I’m going to try, one time I made a fish fry using beer batter that was my wife’s recipe. It was quick and easy but it was the best batter! Your version looks lighter and puffy. Now I’m inspired to make my own flour tortillas. I want to try them with butter and salt too!
Pati
Oct 17
Oh I’m so glad you were inspired, Michael! Enjoy the tacos and tortillas!!