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These fish tacos are a great alternative to the standard chicken or beef ones, and they are so much better than any Mexican take-out.

I picked this recipe to show you how easy it is to make dishes at home that you might usually think of just heading out for take-out.

You're going to learn how to make a fruit salsa. Fruit salsas are great with fish. I make them all the time. Mangoes and peaches are particularly good. And there's something about the combination of the fruit with the sweet red onions. Mmmm! This recipe introduces you to those great flavors.

You'll see how easy it is to make a fresh salsa from scratch. You may never buy bottled salsa again. You might also want to check out Alicia's Salsa.

When you make a fruit salsa, you want to be sure that the fruit is ripe. With mangoes and peaches, that means a little bit of planning ahead. In the supermarket, these fruits are usually close to rock hard. So buy them three or four days in advance. Bring 'em home and put them in a brown paper bag, then roll the top to seal the bag shut. For some reason, the brown paper bag accelerates the ripening. Let the bag sit at room temperature. Check each day to see if the fruit has ripened. Press gently on the fruit: it should feel soft but not mooshy. When the fruit is ripe, put it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

With this recipe you're also going to be introduced to panko: Japanese bread crumbs that are much crispier than normal bread crumbs and are definitely worth searching out. Panko is a staple in my kitchen and the only thing I use when I want a crispy bread coating.

You'll learn how to use Panko to bread fish, and then how to sauté the fish to produce a crispy, golden crust and tender, flaky inside.

You'll also learn an easy way to heat tortillas. Some recipes call for you to heat a pan, add oil, and then warm the tortillas in the pan. I see no point in this - other than adding unnecessary fat! I just wrap the tortillas in a clean, cloth kitchen towel and put in the microwave for a few seconds. Much easier.

We use white corn tortillas here. You could also use flour tortillas. The corn has a nice texture against the fish, though, so I highly recommend that you try them. Buy fresh corn tortillas: not those pre-formed crispy things in the Mexican food aisle.

At-Home Safe Food Handling *

* with permission from Kansas State University Research & Extension