Description
Fish recipes are delicious any time of the year but pickled fish is a traditional South African Easter celebration and we make a lot of fish at Easter! Fish pickled in an onion and spice vinegar solution, then layered and left to marinate in the fridge days ahead of Good Friday when it's served with hot cross buns.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For Frying The Fish
- 1 kg Fish, fresh or frozen and thawed (hake or kingklip)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 eggs, beaten
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
For The Curry Sauce
- 2 Tbsps cooking oil, any
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 cup water + 1/4 more if you need to adjust the taste
- 1 1/2 cups white grape vinegar
- 1 chili, deseeded and chopped (optional)
Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons curry powder, any mild curry powder
To Fry The Onion
- 4 onions
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp mild curry powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric spice powder (if not using the turmeric paste!)
- 1/4 cup turmeric paste (if using, omit the above step)
- salt, pinch
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 cup water
Optional Ingredients
- 3 tbsps sugar
Instructions
Fry the fish
- Dry the fish using kitchen paper. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat add the oil. Dip the fish fillets into the flour and then the egg, shaking off the excess. Fry the fish till light golden brown, set aside on a plate and keep going until all the fish is fried. Don't overfill the pan, work in batches.
Curry Sauce
- Same pan, drain off some of the oil and fry the garlic, garlic, grated ginger and chili, mix together for a few seconds and then add all the ground spices (cumin, coriander, fennel, curry powder), bay leaves, salt, pepper and about 1/4 cup of water, which will help prevent the spices from burning. Combine the spices and add the remaining water (about a cup) and all the vinegar. Simmer for 5 minutes and pour the curry sauce into a jug, set aside.
- Now heat the oil in over medium to high heat. Fry the onion slices. Add a teaspoon of peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of mild curry powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric spice, a pinch of salt and garam masala. Mix into the onions and add a 1/2 cup of water to mix into the onion and spices.
- Pour the curry sauce over the onions. Drop the heat to a simmer, leave for 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and add water if necessary. If you want to add vinegar, add a tablespooon at a time. If you find the taste too vinegary for you, then you would add the same amount in water. Add sugar to balance the acidity out, approx, 2-3 tablespoons, taste and adjust. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Pour turmeric paste (if using) over the fish scoop some liquid over the fish incorpotating the turmeric. Give it 4-5 minutes then remove from the stove and cool.
- Cover and refrigerate only when the fish is thoroughly cooled at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for 24 hours up to 4 days.
- Serve with warm hot cross buns and enjoy!
Notes
Turmeric paste: Although turmeric paste is optional in this recipe, it’s what differentiates the recipe from the orginal.
Whole spices: If you use whole spices instead of ground spices, then toast and grind them in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Here are the ones to use: cardomon pods (4-6), coriander seeds, cumin (jeera) and fennel seeds.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cape Malay, South African
Nutrition
- Calories: 504
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 422
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 26
- Cholesterol: 82