WAY back in January, I made a resolution that we’d create some original recipes once the season of Top Chef ended. Well, Top Chef ended and when I can’t sleep, I try to tire my brain by coming up with crazy food combos. Out of insomnia comes dinner genius sometimes! And so, without further adieu, we present our first Eat.Drink.Life.Love. *original* recipe — tempura avocado tacos with spicy fish slaw. The recipe serves two.

First, gather up all your ingredients.

Fish
1 tilapia filet
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 TB ponzu sauce (we like Kikkoman Lime Ponzu)
1 TB high heat oil (like safflower, canola or vegetable oil)

Sprinkle garlic powder and ginger on both sides of the tilapia. Drizzle 1 TB ponzu on one side of the fish and rub the resulting “paste” into the fish. Do the same on the other side. Let sit in the refrigerator for up to an hour. When slaw is made, cook the fish. Put 1 TB oil in a saute pan and heat over medium high heat. Add fish filet and saute until toasty brown. Flip and saute other side (approximately four minutes per side). Let fish sit in the pan until it cools to just warm. Shred fish with two forks (like pulled pork).

Spicy Slaw
2 TB cilantro, finely chopped
8 brussels sprouts, grated (on a large cheese grater or finely chopped)
1 baby bok choy, finely chopped (chiffonade)
1 carrot, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into match sticks

1 TB rice vinegar
2 TB soy sauce
1 TB lime juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp sriracha (or more, to taste, this level is “spice wimp” level)

Grate brussels sprouts and carrots with large cheese grater. Chiffonade (in thin strips or “shreds”) the baby bok choy. Cut the red bell pepper into match sticks. Finely chop the cilantro. Mix all the herbs and veggies together in a medium-sized bowl. Mix the wet dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Add dressing to veggies, mix and let stand.

Tempura avocado
1 c. Pilsner-type beer (we used Kölsch)
1 c. rice flour
1 egg
1 avocado
high heat oil (like safflower, canola or vegetable)
squeeze of lime juice
salt to taste

The key to the tempura is to keep everything very, very cold. Store the beer in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before using and keep egg and avocado in the fridge until the last possible minute. Mix rice flour, beer and egg together. Put the batter into the refrigerator while you slice up the avocado. The smaller you make the avocado slices, the softer and meltier they’ll be. The larger the slices, the more firm they’ll be. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the avocado slices and sprinkle with a little salt. Heat approximately one to 1.5 cups of oil over medium (to medium high) heat. Oil is ready when you place a drop of batter in and it starts to sizzle, bubble and rises to the top quickly. Dip the avocado slices into the batter and place carefully into oil. Don’t put too many in at a time or they’ll be too crowded and it will affect their frying. When avocados are golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Fry in batches and work quickly. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Place six corn tortillas onto a plate, cover with a kitchen towel (or paper towel). Microwave for 20-30 seconds until warm, soft and pliable.

Spoon slaw onto each tortilla, add shredded fish and mix lightly into the slaw, place tempura avocados on top and boom … you’ve got tempura avocado tacos with spicy fish slaw.

These are so delicious! The slaw is crunchy and fresh with a wide variety of veggie and herb tastes. It’s nice and tart due to the rice vinegar and lime juice, a little salty because of the soy and nutty because of the sesame oil. The fish is warm with garlic and cool with ginger. The tempura avocado is crispy and creamy and the proverbial icing on the cake! Looking for a tasty twist on your typical fish taco? Try tempura avocado tacos with spicy fish slaw, you won’t be sorry (and you’ll wonder why you don’t fry avocados all the time).