← All recipes · Species guide: Mahi-Mahi
California · Mahi-Mahi

San Diego Beer-Battered Mahi Fish Tacos

Baja Fish Tacos

Surfers brought Baja-style fish tacos up from Ensenada, and San Diego made them its own: crisp beer-battered fish, warm corn tortillas, crunchy cabbage, a creamy lime sauce and a squeeze of lime.

  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Serves 4 (12 tacos)
  • Level Easy
Photo: Amy Farías · Pexels
Served with: Mexican Street Corn ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the white sauce

To serve

Method

Step by step, start to finish.

  1. Make the sauce. Stir the crema, mayonnaise, lime juice and chipotle together. Thin with a splash of water so it drizzles.
  2. Make the batter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cumin. Pour in the cold beer and stir until just smooth. Lumps are fine.
  3. Heat the oil. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil to 375 °F (190 °C).
  4. Fry. Pat the fish dry, dust with flour, dip in the batter and let the extra drip off. Fry a few strips at a time for 3–4 minutes until puffed and golden. Drain and salt lightly.
  5. Build. Fill each warm tortilla with cabbage, a piece of fish, pico de gallo, a drizzle of white sauce and cilantro.
  6. Serve. Serve with lime wedges and elote on the side.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Mexico & Southern California

Mexican Street Corn

Elote

Grilled corn on the cob slathered with creamy sauce, rolled in salty cotija cheese and dusted with chili and lime. From Mexican street carts to every San Diego taco shop.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 4 ears of corn, husked
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
  • ½ cup cotija cheese, finely crumbled
  • 1 tsp chili powder or Tajín
  • 1 lime, cut in wedges
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped

How to make it

  1. Grill. Grill the corn over medium-high heat 10–12 minutes, turning, until charred in spots.
  2. Mix the sauce. Stir the mayonnaise and crema together.
  3. Coat. Brush each hot ear with the sauce and roll it in the cotija.
  4. Finish. Dust with chili powder, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Photo: Daniela Velarde · Pexels

More ways to cook Mahi-Mahi

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Oistins, BarbadosBajan-Seasoned Grilled Dolphin
CubaPan-Seared Dorado with Cuban Mojo
Salvador, Bahia, BrazilBahian Fish Stew with Coconut and Palm Oil
Lima, PeruPeruvian Fish with Spicy Seafood Sauce