Baja Fish Tacos

Method

1. Make the crema by whisking the sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice together, then refrigerate it until serving.

2. Toss the shredded cabbage with the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and a pinch of salt to make a quick slaw, and set it aside to soften slightly.

3. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cumin, chili powder, and salt, then pour in the cold beer and stir into a smooth batter the thickness of pancake batter.

4. Pour the oil into a deep heavy pot and heat it to 360 to 375 degrees F using a thermometer; this range fries the batter crisp without greasiness.

5. Pat the fish strips dry, then dip each one into the batter and let the excess drip off so the coating is even and not too thick.

6. Carefully lower a few strips into the hot oil one at a time, frying in small batches so the oil temperature does not crash.

7. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the batter is golden and crisp and the fish flakes easily and reaches 145 degrees F inside.

8. Lift the fish out with a slotted spoon and drain it on a wire rack, which keeps the coating crisp better than paper towels.

9. Let the oil return to temperature between batches, and warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side until pliable.

10. Lay a piece of fried fish in each tortilla, top with the lime slaw, and drizzle with the crema.

11. Finish with a sprinkle of cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime, then serve immediately while the fish is hot and crunchy.

Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.