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vegan fish tacos
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5 from 19 votes

Vegan Fish Tacos

The crispiest vegan fish tacos, made with banana blossoms, baja slaw and spicy mayonnaise.
Total Time5 hours
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: baja fish tacos, banana blossom tacos, vegan fish tacos
Servings: 10
Calories: 266kcal
Author: Richard Makin

Equipment

  • no specialist equipment required

Ingredients

For the Banana Blossom "Fish"

  • 290 g banana blossoms (that's one 510g can)
  • 4 g kombu (or any other kelp)
  • 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
  • 360 ml water
  • teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Lime Pickled Onion

  • 1 red onion
  • juice of 1.5 limes

For the Baja Sauce

  • 90 g vegan mayonnaise
  • 20 ml soy milk
  • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • 2 teaspoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha hot sauce

For the Baja Cabbage Slaw and Toppings

  • 100 g white cabbage (shredded finely with a mandolin or vegetable peeler)
  • 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 radishes (finely sliced)

For the Crispy Batter

  • 200 g plain white flour
  • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 275 ml beer (make sure it's vegan)
  • vegetable oil for frying

To Serve

  • 10 taco tortillas
  • 25 g fresh coriander
  • 1 avocado (finely diced)
  • 2 teaspoon Tajin seasoning (optional)
  • lime wedges for squeezing

Instructions

To Make the Banana Blossom "Fish"

  • Carefully open and drain the tin of banana blossoms. Gently rinse under cold water to remove the brine. Place in a medium bowl or ziplock bag.
  • To the bowl/bag, add the remaining "fish" ingredients. Cover/seal and place in the fridge to marinade for a minimum of 4 hours.

To Make the Lime Pickled Onion

  • Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice the red onion as thinly as possible. Place in a bowl or ziplock bag and add the lime juice. Cover/seal and place in the fridge to pickle for a minimum of 4 hours.

To Make the Baja Sauce

  • If you have a squirty bottle (an old ketchup bottle will do) add all the ingredients and give it a good shake. If you don't have a bottle, just use an old jam jar. Leave in the fridge while the banana blossoms marinate.

To Make the Baja Slaw

  • In a medium bowl, mix the finely shredded cabbage with the remaining slaw ingredients. Cover and place in the fridge until needed.

To Make the Crispy Batter

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Place in the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes to chill, or until you're ready to fry. Place the can/bottle of beer in the fridge to make sure it's super cold.
  • Once the banana blossoms are marinated, remove them from the marinade and place on a plate. Using a very sharp knife, slice them into taco-sized portions (around 2-3 inches long).
  • If necessary, heat your tortillas in a dry frying pan and wrap in a napkin to keep warm.
  • Place a medium, high-sided saucepan on a medium heat and add around 3-4 inches of vegetable oil. Using a probe or candy thermometer, bring the oil to 170c. Once the oil is to temperature, reduce to heat to low.
  • Remove the flour mixture form the freezer and pour in the beer. Mix well until you have a thick, smooth batter. Take two pieces of banana blossom and dunk them in the batter, making sure they're nicely coated. Carefully place them both in the hot oil (they should sizzle immediately). Fry for a total of around 2 minutes, flipping half-way through, or until golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with kitchen towel. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of banana blossom. If any of the pieces go soggy or cold while waiting for the later pieces to fry, give them a second fry to crisp them back up.
  • To assemble, take a tortilla and add some slaw, followed by a piece of "fish", topped with some pickled onions, a good squirt of baja sauce, some diced avocado, coriander, a sprinkle of Tajin and a squeeze of lime juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 18mg