Broiled-Cod Tacos with Thai Kohlrabi Slaw

Recipe updated February 2015

Kohlrabi’s earthy, fresh, radish-like taste and crispy texture make it a perfect slaw ingredient—especially with a zesty, bold Thai-inspired dressing. The base of this dressing is “nam pla,” or fish sauce, a condiment especially popular in Thailand, Vietnam, and other parts of Southeast Asia. It’s made from fermented fish, often anchovies, and it has a very salty, pungent flavor and aroma. But don’t be turned off when you give it a whiff—believe me, it tastes much better than it smells.

Kohlrabi

Both the slaw and dressing in this recipe are made with a few, simple ingredients, and the freshness is unmistakable when you crunch into the vegetables. It’s a little spicy, but with a dollop of cool, creamy, plain Greek yogurt on top (much tastier and better for you than sour cream), the flavor combination and textures are perfect for broiled fish.

I used cod here, but any mild whitefish filets will work, and preparing them couldn’t be simpler. A drizzle of oil and a little seasoning are all you need to bring out the flavor and flaky texture of broiled fish.

Obviously, there’s nothing Mexican about these tacos, but they may get a nod in California.

Note: Warm tortillas are much more welcoming than cold ones. You can wrap a stack in aluminum foil and warm them in a low toaster oven for about 10 minutes, or lightly char them on a gas burner, 4-5 seconds per side.

Makes 8 tacos

Ingredients

For the Kohlrabi Slaw

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp chile-garlic sauce
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 small carrots (or 1 medium), peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced    

For the Fish

• 1 lb cod filets (or other mild whitefish), about 1-inch thick
• olive oil, for drizzling
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 6-inch flour tortillas, warmed or lightly charred
• 1 7-oz container of plain, Greek yogurt

Preparation

For the Kohlrabi Slaw

1. Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chile sauce in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the cilantro.
2. Combine the carrots, chile, kohlrabi, and scallion in a medium bowl. Pour the fish sauce mixture over the vegetables and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Drain or transfer to another bowl with a slotted spoon before serving.

Dressing Mixture

Cilantro Stirred In 

Slaw Mixture

Slaw Mixture with Dressing

Drained Slaw

For the Fish

1. Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler-safe pan with aluminum foil.
2. Drizzle the fish on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the filets on the prepared pan and broil 7-8 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from the broiler and flake the fish.

Cod Ready to Broil

Broiled Cod

Flaked Fish

Transfer the flaked fish to a bowl and serve with the kohlrabi slaw, warm tortillas, and yogurt on the side and let your guests build their own tacos.

Broiled-Cod Tacos with Thai Kohlrabi Slaw