One Life to Eat

Hello dear readers! As Sabera is busy with her hot and happening life (that was sarcasm. she’s drowning in class assignments and some pretentious business school stuff 😉 ) I thought I’d drop by here and share a recipe I hold quite dear to my heart. The reason I do is because this Mango Fish Taco recipe is a culmination of several hours of experimental cooking in my kitchen, not to mention the winner of the last Iron Chef cooking competition my friends and I organize and participate in!

I’m quite proud of this recipe because it has so many yummy flavors that I love all combined together – the fresh meaty flavor of Mahi-mahi fish, the tang of mango, and the spicy flavors from different types of seasonings and spices such as Caribbean jerk seasoning. While my recipe involves making every separate component from scratch, you can most certainly substitute some components with the store-bought variety. You can also use the exact same recipe and serve with soft tortillas as a main dish or with tortilla chips as a snack. This is a very very good recipe for entertaining and I strongly suggest you make it if you’d like to delight your guests. My tip is to make the condiments a day in advance so all you have to do the day of is grill the fish. So, here’s my recipe for yummy yummy Mango Fish Tacos!

Step 1: Make the slaw (make this a day in advance)

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced red peppers (roasted preferred)
• 1/4 cup diced green peppers
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 head green cabbage, quartered and sliced into thin strips

In mixing bowl mix all ingredients together except the cabbage. Once evenly mixed add the cabbage and turn with your hands or spoons until the cabbage is evenly coated. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Should be made 24 hours in advance.

Step 2: Make the BBQ Sauce (Can also be made a day in advance)

Mix all of the following ingredients in food processor and puree. Pour into a bowl or jar and refrigerate.

• 1/2 cup mango chunks
• 2 roasted red bell peppers,
• 2 tablespoons brown balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean jerk seasoning or any BBQ seasoning
• 1/4 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup BBQ sauce

Step 3: Make the Cilantro White Sauce (Make a day in advance)

Mix all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp white vinegar

Step 4: Make the Guacamole!

Mix all these together. Cover and refrigerate.

• 2 fresh avocados, halved, pitted and flesh diced
• 2 fresh jalapenos, diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup diced red onion diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• ¼ cup of roasted corn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Step 5: Make the fish

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds mahi mahi or talapia skinned and cleaned
• Blackening seasoning
• Olive oil
• 1 dozen (6-inch) flour tortillas or taco chips
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
• 1 cup diced tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the mahi mahi with blackening seasoning. Add some olive oil to a saute pan and add the mahi mahi. Cook until flaky, about 3 to 5 minutes. When the fish is no longer pink in the center, add 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on top of the fish and crisp up the fish on both sides for a nice crunch! Heat the tortillas in the oven for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Shred the fish with a fork or a spoon and keep aside.

AND FINALLY! To serve:

• Spoon the guacamole down the center of each tortilla then add a layer of shredded cheese and diced tomatoes. Add the slaw and the mahi mahi. Top with the white cilantro sauce. Arrange on a serving platter, get a napkin and dig in.

• Alternatively as a fun appetizer, you could spoon some guacamole in the center of a taco chip (I bought the triangular large chips), then the cilantro sauce, place a small piece of the fish on top, top with slaw. You don’t need the cheese or tomatoes.