Crispy Fish Tacos with Charred Lime Crema and Pickled Slaw

These tacos hit every note: crunchy beer-battered fish, a smoky-tart crema made with coconut cream, quick pickled cabbage slaw that cuts right through the richness, and warm corn tortillas. The air fryer does the heavy lifting on crunch without a vat of oil, which makes the whole thing feel lighter and a lot less stressful. The pickled slaw only needs about 20 minutes to get bright and tangy, and if you get it going first, everything else falls into place. Corn tortillas, crispy fish, punchy slaw, and that charred lime crema, it photographs beautifully and tastes even better.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb Firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or tilapia), cut into 1-inch strips
  • ¾ cup All-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 1½ tsp Fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup Sparkling water or light beer, cold
  • 2 tbsp Avocado oil spray or light avocado oil
  • 2 cups Purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 1 cup Green cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Granulated sugar
  • 1 medium Jalapeño, half thinly sliced into rings (for the slaw), half finely diced (for garnish)
  • ½ cup loosely packed Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, stems and all
  • 4 Limes, 2 halved for charring, 2 juiced
  • ½ cup Full-fat coconut cream, chilled, thick part only — scoop from the top of an unshaken can
  • 1 tsp Coconut aminos
  • 1 clove Garlic, finely grated or microplaned
  • 1–2 tsp Hot sauce (such as Tapatío or Cholula)
  • 15 Corn tortillas
  • 2 medium Avocado, sliced or roughly mashed

Instructions

  1. Start the pickled slaw first so it has time to develop. Thinly slice 2 cups (180 g) purple cabbage and 1 cup (90 g) green cabbage, aim for shreds about as thin as a coin. Place both in a jar or bowl.
  2. Slice half the jalapeño into thin rings and add it to the cabbage. Pour in 3 tbsp (45 ml) rice vinegar, sprinkle in 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar and ¼ tsp (1.5 g) of the sea salt. Toss or shake well, press everything down so the cabbage is mostly submerged, and set aside. Give it at least 20 minutes, it'll go bright and pliable.
  3. While the slaw pickles, make the charred lime crema. Heat your cast-iron pan over high heat until it's very hot and barely smoking, about 3 minutes.
  4. Place 2 limes, halved cut-side down in the dry pan. Press them flat and don't move them for 2 minutes, until the cut faces are deeply browned and a little scorched. The smell will be smoky-citrusy. Remove and set aside to cool for a minute.
  5. Squeeze the juice from the 2 charred lime halves into a small bowl (about 2 tbsp of juice). Add ½ cup (120 ml) thick coconut cream, 1 clove garlic, finely grated, 1 tsp (5 ml) coconut aminos, 1–2 tsp hot sauce, and ¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt. Whisk until smooth. Taste it, it should be tangy, a little smoky, and lightly spiced. Adjust salt or hot sauce to your liking. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
  6. Juice the remaining 2 limes into a large bowl. Cut 1.5 lb (680 g) firm white fish into 1-inch strips and add them to the bowl. Toss gently to coat in the lime juice, this lightly firms the fish and seasons it. Let it sit for 5 minutes while you make the batter.
  7. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika, ½ tsp (1 g) cayenne pepper, and ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt. Pour in ¾ cup (180 ml) cold sparkling water or light beer and whisk just until a loose, slightly lumpy batter forms. Don't overwork it, a few lumps are totally fine.
  8. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. While it heats, pat the fish strips dry with a paper towel (lime juice and all). This step matters, wet fish won't get crispy.
  9. Dip each fish strip into the batter, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Lay the strips in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space between them, don't crowd, do this in two or three batches. Mist or lightly brush with avocado oil.
  10. Air fry the first batch at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The coating should be dry and craggy to the touch, the edges clearly set and firm. The fish inside should flake when pressed with a finger. Cook remaining batches the same way. Keep finished pieces warm in your toaster oven at 200°F (95°C) on a rack while the rest cook.
  11. While the last batch of fish cooks, warm your 15 corn tortillas. Char them directly on your cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds per side, until they have dark spots and flexible edges. Stack and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
  12. Slice or roughly mash 2 medium avocados and finely dice the remaining half jalapeño. Roughly chop ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro. Give the pickled slaw a final toss and drain off most of the excess liquid.
  13. Build the tacos: lay avocado on the tortilla first, then 2–3 pieces of crispy fish, a heap of pickled slaw, a drizzle of charred lime crema, fresh cilantro, and a pinch of diced jalapeño. Squeeze any remaining lime wedges over the top. Don't be shy with the crema.