Fish tacos with cabbage and yogurt-lime sauce Recipe
These light tacos with crispy fish and fresh cabbage are a Mexican answer to a Friday seaside dinner. In Mexico, fish tacos are often eaten in coastal towns, where the fish hits the pan literally moments after being caught. Here we combine delicate fish with a creamy, slightly tangy yogurt and lime sauce that perfectly balances the spices.
Fish tacos with cabbage are the lighter, seaside face of Mexican cuisine – crispy fish, fresh, slightly tangy cabbage and a creamy yogurt-lime sauce create a combination that’s hard to stop eating. This dish shows how simple white fish can turn into something very bold thanks to cumin, chili and lime. It’s filling but not heavy, so it works both as a quick Friday dinner and as a more “party-style” taco-assembling meal at the table.
Chef's tips
Don’t fry the fish for too long – when the sides of the pieces turn white and the bottom is golden, it’s usually time to flip them, otherwise the flesh will start to dry out and crumble into dust. It’s really worth “massaging” the cabbage for a moment with salt and lime juice, because it softens and releases juice, turning into a kind of quick slaw. Prepare the yogurt sauce at least 10–15 minutes in advance so the garlic and lime can meld – if you make it at the last minute, the flavour will be flatter.
How to serve
These tacos taste best eaten straight at the table, when everyone assembles their own tortilla – a great option for a Friday evening with friends instead of ordering takeaway. To drink, serve non-alcoholic water with lime and mint or a light lager; on colder days you can also offer a light, dry white wine. As a side, a bowl of spicy salsa, avocado slices and a few lime wedges for extra squeezing are all you need.
Ingredients
- white fish fillet e.g. cod, pollock, hake, skinless - 600 g
- corn tortilla small, about 12–15 cm in diameter - 12 piece
- cabbage white or red, finely shredded - 200 g
- plain yogurt thick, Greek-style - 200 g
- mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
- lime juice and zest of one lime - 2 piece
- garlic pressed or finely chopped - 2 cloves
- fresh chili pepper seeded, finely chopped; amount to taste - 1 piece
- ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
- sweet paprika, ground - 1 teaspoon
- vegetable oil for frying the fish and warming the tortillas - 3 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper, ground to taste
- fresh coriander chopped; can be replaced with parsley - 2 tablespoons
- red onion cut into thin slices - 0.5 piece
Preparation
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and cut into strips about 2–3 cm wide. Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, cumin and sweet paprika, gently massaging the spices into the flesh.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, juice of one lime, grated zest of half a lime, half of the pressed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. The sauce should be smooth and slightly tangy; if it is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water.
- Put the cabbage into a bowl, add the red onion, half of the chopped coriander, the juice from the remaining half of the lime and a pinch of salt. Mix with your hands, lightly kneading for about 1 minute, until the cabbage softens slightly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the fish pieces in a single layer. Fry for 3–4 minutes on one side, until the bottom is golden and the edges turn slightly white, then flip and fry for another 2–3 minutes, until the fish is completely white inside and flakes easily.
- On a second, dry pan, warm the tortillas for 20–30 seconds on each side, until they become soft and pliable. You can also sprinkle them lightly with water before heating if they are very dry.
- Add the chopped chili and the remaining coriander to the yogurt sauce and mix. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or extra lime juice if needed.
- On each tortilla place a portion of cabbage and 2–3 pieces of fish, drizzle with the yogurt-lime sauce and sprinkle with the remaining lime zest. Serve immediately while the fish is still hot and the tortillas are soft.
Storage
Store the components separately: fried fish in a closed container in the fridge for up to 1 day, cabbage salad and sauce for up to 2 days. Reheat the fish gently in a pan or oven and warm fresh tortillas just before serving; assemble the tacos only right before eating so they don’t get soggy.
