A warm crisp shell, fresh creamy guacamole, and your favourite choice of filling. When done right, the humble taco is a fast-food creation that ranks high on the delicious list.
"People sometimes mistake tacos for a crunchy shell, which is not common in Mexico at all," says chef Daniel Shemtob, founder of popular fusion food truck The Lime Truck in California. The Lime Truck was also the winner of US TV channel Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race in 2011.
"A proper taco has the following: scratch made ingredients, acid and fat, balanced flavour and texture, lightly crisped and fresh tortilla," says Shemtob. Here, he shares a recipe for lime sambal fish tacos packed with tangy, spicy flavours.
"People sometimes mistake tacos for a crunchy shell, which is not common in Mexico at all," says chef Daniel Shemtob, founder of popular fusion food truck The Lime Truck in California. The Lime Truck was also the winner of US TV channel Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race in 2011.
"A proper taco has the following: scratch made ingredients, acid and fat, balanced flavour and texture, lightly crisped and fresh tortilla," says Shemtob. Here, he shares a recipe for lime sambal fish tacos packed with tangy, spicy flavours.
Lime Sambal Fish Taco with Fresh Grapefruit Slaw (makes about 4 tacos)
Recipe by Chef Daniel Shemtob, The Lime Truck
Ingredients:
- 320g White fish (barramundi, or a thick white fish works better)
- 2pcs lime
- 120ml Sambal (preferably without shrimp paste)
- 4 pcs Raw peeled garlic
- 5g White sugar
- 1/2 Head of green cabbage
- 1 Grapefruit
- 60g Mayo
- Kosher Salt
- Oil
To make the marinade:
Heat pan and add oil.
Fry raw peeled garlic till brown.
Zest and juice one lime.
Mix in lime zest, lime juice, sambal, garlic and white sugar and salt.
Meat:
De-skin the fish.
Dice the fish into portions that you want for the taco. (Ideally about 80g)
Leave fish in marinade and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to an hour.
Heat pan and add oil. Cook marinated fish for 2-3 minutes.
Grapefruit Slaw:
Julienne half a head of green cabbage.
Supreme and juice one grapefruit. (Supreme is to remove just the flesh of the grapefruit and leave the white part out of the slaw.)
Mix the grapefruit with mayo, lime juice and kosher salt.
Tacos:
Fill the tortillas with the fish and grapefruit slaw.
Top the tacos with guacamole.
De-skin the fish.
Dice the fish into portions that you want for the taco. (Ideally about 80g)
Leave fish in marinade and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to an hour.
Heat pan and add oil. Cook marinated fish for 2-3 minutes.
Grapefruit Slaw:
Julienne half a head of green cabbage.
Supreme and juice one grapefruit. (Supreme is to remove just the flesh of the grapefruit and leave the white part out of the slaw.)
Mix the grapefruit with mayo, lime juice and kosher salt.
Tacos:
Fill the tortillas with the fish and grapefruit slaw.
Top the tacos with guacamole.
