Delicious Cape Malay Pickled Fish Recipe

Cape Malay Pickled Fish is a traditional South African dish with origins in the Cape Malay community. It is a tangy and spicy fish dish that is pickled to perfection. This recipe combines aromatic spices with vinegar, sugar, and onions to create a flavorful fish dish that is perfect for any occasion. Serve it with freshly baked bread or as a side dish with a main course. This recipe is easy to make and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Ingredients

• 1 kg firm white fish fillets (such as hake, kingklip, or snoek)
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, water, brown sugar, onion, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut the fish fillets into bite-sized pieces and gently coat them in flour.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the fish in batches until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Transfer the fried fish to the pot with the pickling liquid. Stir gently to coat the fish in the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the fish to cool completely in the pickling liquid.
6. Once cooled, transfer the pickled fish and the liquid to a glass jar. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
7. Serve the Cape Malay Pickled Fish chilled with freshly baked bread or as a side dish.
8. Enjoy!

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