Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Tacos de Pescado
392 kcal a serving, against 825 for the traditional version. That is 433 kcal off, or 52%, with 41.2g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Chunks of white fish coated in a thick flour batter and deep-fried in vegetable oil until golden. Served in warm corn tortillas and heavily loaded with shredded white cabbage, fresh lime juice and a thick sauce made from rich soured cream.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of plain flour and 90g of absorbed frying oil swapped for a simple spice rub and 10g of olive oil
The flour and frying oil add massive amounts of fat and starch to the plate. Grilling the fish strips all of that away and puts the focus squarely back on the seafood.
What it costs you. You'll completely lose the crunch. A battered taco relies on the hard shell of fried dough giving way to soft fish. You're eating soft grilled fish now, which is the first major textural compromise you'll have to accept.
200g of soured cream swapped for 200g of fat-free Greek yoghurt
Soured cream brings a lot of heavy fat. Fat-free yoghurt delivers the exact same cooling, creamy contrast to the spicy fish, while vastly reducing the fat on the plate.
What it costs you. You end up with a starkly tangy dressing. The version that's a rich, fatty sauce is still out there and still better. Yoghurt lacks the luxurious, coating mouthfeel of a traditional Baja white sauce, so it tastes much sharper.
400g of corn tortillas reduced to 300g
Less tortilla means less starch wrapping the fish, shifting the balance of every bite towards the protein.
What it costs you. You get fewer tacos per head. The meal feels a bit smaller on the table, so you'll need to eat plenty of cabbage to fill the gap.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 825 | 392 |
| Protein | 42.3g | 41.2g |
| Fat | 37.1g | 7g |
| Saturated fat | 8.8g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 81.2g | 41.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.1g | 10.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. fish, milk.
The method is in the book
This is a sharp, vibrant plate of food. You'll miss the deep-fried crunch, but the charred edges of the spiced snapper make up for a lot of the lost texture. The yoghurt sauce cuts through the heat perfectly and the lime-soaked cabbage brings a brilliant freshness. It makes a fantastic dinner for a warm evening, provided you'll accept that a grilled fish taco is an entirely different beast to a battered one.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback