Baja Shrimp Recipe

Peel and season

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. If tails are on and you prefer them off, remove tails. Lightly toss with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside for 5 minutes.

Make tempura batter

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Slowly whisk in 1 cup very cold club soda until just combined — batter should be slightly lumpy and thin enough to coat shrimp. Do not overmix.

Fry shrimp (tempura)

Pour vegetable oil into a medium skillet or pot to reach ~1 inch depth and heat to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, dip seasoned shrimp into batter, let excess drip off, then carefully add to hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp and shrimp are opaque. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and squeeze a little lime over them. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if needed.

Grilled option

If you prefer grilled shrimp: skip the batter. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high, brush shrimp with olive oil and grill 2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly charred. Finish with a squeeze of lime.

Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotle in adobo, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or lime as desired. Refrigerate until assembly.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1 chopped jalapeño (seeded if you prefer milder), 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss gently and let rest 10 minutes to marry flavors. Drain any excess liquid before assembling tacos.

In a bowl combine 2 cups shredded green cabbage, 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage and 1/2 cup shredded carrot. In a small bowl whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Warm tortillas: heat a dry skillet over medium-high and warm each corn tortilla about 20–30 seconds per side until pliable. Keep tortillas warm wrapped in a clean towel.

Build tacos: place 2 warmed tortillas per serving on a plate. Divide coleslaw evenly among tortillas (about 2–3 tablespoons per taco), top with 2–3 pieces of tempura or grilled shrimp each (6 shrimp per taco set, 18 total), add 1–2 tablespoons pico de gallo per taco, and drizzle with chipotle aioli (about 1 tablespoon per taco). Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Serve immediately so tempura stays crisp. Provide extra aioli and lime wedges on the side.