Recipe: Crispy Fish Tacos, Chimichurri, Smoked Tabasco Aioli

Posted on 27 November, 2024

Perfectly spiced crispy fish tacos, with all the best toppers—juicy tomatoes, shredded cabbage, red onion, chimichurri, smoked tabasco aioli and fresh coriander.

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the chimichurri (Too lazy? substitute for some chopped green herbs, salt and oil):

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 cup fresh continental parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 small red chilli (can be seeded or de-seeded)
• 1 small green jalapeño (can be seeded or de-seeded)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 good pinch flaked sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (or more to taste)
• Lemon zest from 1 lemon
• Pepper to taste

For the smoked tabasco aioli (not pictured but *please add!):

• 1/2 cup aioli
• Many dashes of smoked tabasco sauce
• Squeeze lime juice (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt
• Pepper to taste

To coat the fish: 

• 700g firm white fish, cut into strips
• 60g (1/2 cup) flour
• 1-2 teaspoon flaked sea salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper

For the batter: 

• 500ml SodaStream sparkling water
• 150g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ancho chilli powder (substitute crushed chilli flakes)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 egg
• To sprinkle after cooking: flakey sea salt

For the tacos: 

• 8 soft tortillas
• 1/8 cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 carrot, grated
• Avocado, sliced
• Tomato salsa (tomatoes, chilli, red onion & olive oil)
• Fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges

Method

To make the chimichurri: Whizz the ingredients in a food processor, set aside.

To make the smoked tabasco aioli: Whisk ingredients in a bowl, cover and pop into the fridge until serving.

To coat the fish: Mix the coating ingredients in a bowl. Toss each strip of fish in the flour mixture to coat all over. Set aside.

To make the batter: Whisk together the batter ingredients in a bowl. If the batter is too dry, add some more soda water. Add the fish strips to the batter and toss to coat.

To cook the fish: Heat oil until hot (but not too hot or fish will burn), cook fish in batches flipping after a few minutes, until golden brown. Set aside on a plate lined with baking paper. Repeat until finished. Sprinkle over a generous amount of flakey sea salt before serving.

To make the tacos:  Serve the tortillas warm, then have at it with all the toppings. I like to layer my tacos with cabbage and carrot, then crispy fish, avocado, tomato salsa, a good drizzle of the smoked tabasco aioli, dot over the chimichurri and tear over some fresh coriander.

A squeeze of lime finishes it off perfectly. Yum!

Crispy Fish Tacos, Chimmichurri, Smoked Tabasco Aioli recipe developed for SodaStream by Anisa Sabet.