Prepare the Homemade Corn Tortilla dough according to its separate recipe, using 160g masa harina, 2g fine sea salt, and 200g warm water at about 40°C. Mix until a soft masa dough forms, then rest it covered. Divide the rested dough into 16 equal balls of about 22g each. Keep the dough balls covered at all times so the masa does not dry out. Press each tortilla to about 11.4cm / 4.5 inches in diameter. Cook on a dry hot skillet or griddle until lightly charred, flexible, and just cooked through. Stack immediately under a towel so the tortillas steam and stay pliable. The tortillas need to stay warm and flexible. Dry tortillas crack once filled with shrimp and sauce. That trapped steam under the towel is exactly what keeps them soft enough to fold around a generous, crunchy filling without splitting.

In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole grain or Creole mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, diced pickles, capers if using, parsley, and paprika. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed. The remoulade should be thick enough to sit on the shrimp, but loose enough to drizzle. If it feels too stiff, add a few drops of lemon juice or water. Building the sauce with two distinct mustards, plus diced pickle and capers worked directly in, gives it real, layered tang and texture beyond what a single mustard or plain mayonnaise base alone would provide.

Pat the shrimp dry. Place them in a bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add the buttermilk and egg, then mix until the shrimp are evenly coated. Let them sit for 15 minutes. The shrimp should be coated but not swimming in excess liquid. This short marinade is enough for shrimp. Longer is not better here because shrimp are delicate and cook fast. Buttermilk's mild acidity works on the shrimp's protein much the way any acid does, and that brief window is calibrated to season and tenderize slightly without extending long enough to compromise the shrimp's own delicate texture.

In a shallow dish or tray, combine the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, and baking powder. Mix very well until uniform. The flour gives body, the cornmeal gives a classic southern-style crunch, the cornstarch keeps the crust light, and the baking powder helps the coating fry craggy instead of flat. Each dry ingredient here is doing distinct, specific work — no single component alone would produce the same layered texture this particular blend achieves together.

Lift the shrimp from the buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off. Toss the shrimp in the dredge until fully coated. Press the dredge lightly onto each shrimp so the coating adheres. Place the breaded shrimp on a tray or rack and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This short rest helps the coating hydrate and cling. If you fry immediately, more of the crust can fall off in the oil. That brief pause lets the buttermilk residue clinging to the shrimp begin actually binding with the dry coating, giving the crust real adhesion before it ever meets the shock of hot oil.

Heat neutral oil in a deep pot, Dutch oven, or fryer to 175–180°C. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size, until deeply golden, crisp, curled, and just cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray. Season lightly with a little extra salt while hot. Do not overcrowd the oil. A crowded pot drops the temperature, extends the fry time, and makes shrimp rubbery before the crust gets crisp. Frying in properly small batches is what protects the oil's own temperature from dropping too far when cold, breaded shrimp are added — a real drop lets the coating absorb excess oil rather than frying crisp.

Keep the lettuce cold and finely shredded. Dice the tomatoes. Slice or dice the pickles. Have the remoulade, hot sauce, lemon wedges, and warm tortillas ready before frying the final batch of shrimp. These tacos work because the hot crispy shrimp meets cold crunchy toppings. Do not assemble too early. Keeping every fresh component genuinely cold and ready before the last batch of shrimp is even out of the oil is what makes the immediate hot-cold contrast this dish depends on actually possible.

Place shredded lettuce into each warm tortilla. Add a generous pile of crispy fried shrimp. Top with diced tomato and pickles. Drizzle with remoulade. Add a few drops of hot sauce if desired. Finish with parsley or cilantro and serve with lemon wedges. Layering the cold lettuce directly against the tortilla, with the hot shrimp on top, keeps that crucial temperature contrast intact right up until the first bite.