👨‍🍳 Chef Naeem's Traditional Cape Malay Pickled Fish

The story behind the dish

Chef Naeem's mother started her pickle on the Wednesday before Good Friday, and by Friday lunch the whole house smelled of vinegar and bay. Nothing was ever measured — the onions went in until the pot was full and the vinegar went in until it looked right. This is that method, written down at last, with the quantities we use in our own kitchen so you get the same result the first time.

Equipment required

• Large frying pan
• Deep saucepan for the pickle
• Glass or ceramic dish with a lid (never metal)
• Slotted spoon

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Season and dust the fish

   Pat the hake dry, season generously with salt and pepper and dust lightly in flour. Shake off the excess — you want a thin coating, not a batter.

2. 2

   Fry until just cooked

   Shallow fry in hot oil for three minutes a side until golden and just cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and let the pieces cool completely.

3. 3

   Soften the onions

   In a clean saucepan, simmer the onion rings in the water for five minutes until translucent but still holding their shape. Do not let them collapse.

4. 4

   Build the pickle

   Add the vinegar, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, pickling spice, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer gently for fifteen minutes so the raw edge cooks out of the vinegar and the spices bloom.

5. 5

   Thicken lightly

   Stir in the slaked cornflour and simmer for two minutes until the pickle just coats the back of a spoon. Taste and balance — it should be sharp first, sweet second. Cool to warm.

6. 6

   Layer and mature

   In a glass dish, alternate layers of cooled fish and onion pickle, finishing with onions on top so every piece is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 48 hours before serving.

7. 7

   Serve cold

   Serve straight from the fridge with fresh white bread and butter, or hot cross buns on Good Friday. Spoon plenty of the onions and liquor over each portion.

Storage advice

Kept submerged in its pickle in a sealed glass dish in the fridge, pickled fish holds for up to two weeks and improves for the first five days. Do not freeze — the onions turn to mush.

Frequently asked questions

Which fish is best for pickled fish?

Hake is the Cape standard: firm, affordable and it holds its shape in vinegar. Yellowtail, kabeljou and snoek all work; avoid delicate, flaky fish.

How long before Easter should I make it?

Make it on the Wednesday for Good Friday. Two full days in the fridge is the minimum for the spice to penetrate the fish.

Why is my pickle too sharp?

Under-simmered vinegar or not enough sugar. Simmer the pickle a full fifteen minutes and adjust the sugar a tablespoon at a time before you layer.

Is pickled fish served hot or cold?

Always cold, straight from the fridge, with fresh bread and butter.

Nutritional information

Estimated values per serving. Actual values vary with portion size and ingredients.

Energy

410 kcal

Protein

34 g

Fat

14 g

Carbohydrate

34 g

Sodium

780 mg