Fish tacos

“Any firm white fish will work for these tacos, but I particularly like snapper or flathead. A tortilla press is a really handy tool to make even thin tortillas, but you could easily use a rolling pin if you don’t have one.” Raph Rashid, Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook Melbourne

• makes

  10

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 225 g (1¼ cups) masa harina (corn flour)
• 500 g boneless, skinless, firm white fish fillets, cut into strips about 8 cm x 2 cm 
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• lime wedges, to serve

Coleslaw

• 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
• ½ cup coriander leaves, plus extra, for serving                   
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt

Poppy seed mayonnaise

• 2 garlic cloves, finely crushed
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• pinch salt
• pinch ground cumin       
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 200 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Batter

• 150 ml (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
• 225 ml soda water

Instructions

To make the coleslaw, place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine well.

To make the mayonnaise, place the garlic, egg yolks, salt, cumin and poppy seeds in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine well. Whisking continuously, gradually add the oil, drop by drop at first and then in a slow steady stream until emulsified. Add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To make the tortillas, place the masa harina and 250 ml (1 cup) water in a bowl. Use a fork to mix until well combined - the dough should be the consistency of play dough. Portion the dough into 10 equal-sized balls. Open the tortilla press and cover the base with baking paper. Place a ball of dough in the centre and cover with another sheet of baking paper. Firmly close the tortilla press. Open the press, then turn the tortilla 180 degrees and gently press again to even out the thickness of the tortilla. Peel off the top layer of baking paper and flip the tortilla into your palm. Gently peel away the other layer of baking paper. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Cook each tortilla for 1 minute on each side or until dough is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with a damp, clean tea towel. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl, then whisk in the soda water until smooth and well combined. It should be the consistency of thickened cream, so adjust with more water or flour if necessary. 

Fill a deep heavy-based saucepan with about 10 cm of vegetable oil and heat to 180ºC. Working in small batches, dip the pieces of fish into the batter and allow excess to drip off back into the bowl. Gently lower the fish into the oil and fry for 3- 4 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel and keep warm while cooking the remaining fish. 

To serve, top each tortilla with a little coleslaw followed by a piece of fish. Drizzle with mayo, then sprinkle with a little extra coriander and a squeeze of lime. 

Recipes from Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook by Rachel Khoo (Michael Joseph, $39.99). Drop by Rachel Khoo’s website.

Photography by Prue Ruscoe. Styling by Lucy Tweed. Food preparation by Leanne Kitchen. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Orange dish from Dinosaur Designs. Aqua basket from Thai Kee.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.