Cape Malay Pickled Fish
In Cape Town, South Africa, it is a tradition to serve this pickled fish recipe alongside hot cross buns or freshly baked bread during the Easter season.
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil for frying
- 3 pounds cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
- salt to taste
- 2 large onions, peeled and sliced into rings
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 red chile pepper, seeded and sliced lengthwise
- 3 large bay leaves
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 2 cups red wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup packed brown sugar, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and fry in the hot skillet until fish is browned and flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chile pepper, bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice berries, then pour in vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Season with curry powder, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Taste and add brown sugar if desired.
- Arrange layers of fish and pickling mixture in a serving dish. Pour in pickling liquid to cover the top layer. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 21gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 67mgPotassium: 590mgVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!