sauce:
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
juice of two limes

batter & fish:
1 c. flour
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 c. dark beer, room temperature

1 3/4 lbs. halibut or catfish, cut into 5 - 3/4″ strips
1 lime

12 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
lime wedges
bottled hot pepper sauce (not tabasco — what you want here is a tangy vinegar pepper sauce, not a lot of heat. I’d recommend Peppadew.)

Heat vegetable oil for deep frying, use a deep fry thermometer, to 350°F.

Whisk flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour in beer, whisking until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lime juice over each strip. Let stand 15 minutes. Set aside.

Dip each piece of fish into batter. Deep fry. Do not crowd pan. Repeat to complete all fish. As you go, transfer fish to a paper-towel lined baking sheet; keep warm.

Heat tortillas when ready to serve.

To assemble:
Place a few strips of fish atop a tortilla. Squeeze some lime juice over the fish. Top with some shredded cabbage. Drizzle desired amount of sauce over cabbage and fish. Serve with some of the vinegar pepper sauce.

» Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2003, with inspiration from Changos