When two cultures collide and commingle, the food is one of the first elements that gets thrown into the mix. We really are what we eat, in not only a physical, but also a social and cultural sense. In the spirit of getting back to my travelling roots (yes, I do realize how ludicrous that phrase is) I decided to try adding an Asian flair to my trusty Baja-style fish tacos.
Element 1: Ginger beer instead of Corona in the fish fry batter
Verdict: Barely perceptible difference. Not bad, though!
Element 2: Ginger-Lime-Cilantro Pico de Gallo
Verdict: A winner! Next time maybe I’ll call it coriander instead of cilantro and add lemongrass for a more Southeast Asian flair.
Element 3: Lightly pickled Baby Bok Choy instead of chopped cabbage.
Verdict: Very nice. The key is not leaving the bok choy to brine too long, as the leafy parts can get waterlogged and soggy.
Element 4: Wasabi Guacamole
Verdict: Almost as awesome as it sounds, but not quite. Maybe next time I’ll punch it up with a little more lemon juice and some minced jalapeño to even the flavors out.
Element 5: Wash ’em down with a Ginger Margarita
Verdict: Flat-out AMAZING. I used this recipe from Jean-Georges Vongerichten
I made my usual white sauce, a mixture of yogurt with a bit of mayo, cumin, lime juice, and ground red pepper.
It was a tasty experiment in fusion cooking. A few tweaks to be made, but nothing a few more fish taco dinners won’t fix!
livingfusion 