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Cape Malay Fish Curry
A fragrant, gently spiced Cape Malay curry built on toasted whole spices, tamarind and firm white fish.
4.8 · 96 reviews
50 min MediumServes 4
View recipeChef Naeem’s Kitchen
Chef Naeem's Grilled Kingklip
Kingklip is the finest white fish landed on our coast: dense, sweet and forgiving in the pan. Treat it like a steak — dry surface, hot pan, minimal handling — and finish it with something green and acidic.
4.9 · 88 reviews
Our chefs' choice for a dinner party · Sample ratings until customer reviews are collected
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 12 min
- Servings
- 2 people
- Difficulty
- Medium
The story behind the dish
When Naeemo's began supplying restaurants, kingklip was the fish chefs asked for by name. This is the dish Naeem cooks to show what the fish can do on its own: no sauce to hide behind, just heat, herbs and good olive oil.
Ingredients
- 2 thick kingklip portions (approx. 250 g each)Shop this
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 g flat-leaf parsley
- 10 g fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 garlic clove
- Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper
Equipment required
- Heavy non-stick or cast-iron pan
- Blender or pestle and mortar
- Fish slice
Step-by-step method
- 1
Temper the fish
Take the kingklip out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking and pat it completely dry. Cold, wet fish will steam instead of searing.
- 2
Blend the herb oil
Blitz the olive oil, parsley, oregano, garlic and a pinch of salt until bright green. Keep it at room temperature so it stays loose.
- 3
Sear
Heat a dry pan until very hot, add a film of oil, then lay the fish in presentation side down. Sear for 4–5 minutes without moving it.
- 4
Turn once
Flip once, add the capers to the pan, and cook for a further 3–4 minutes, basting with the pan juices until the flesh is just opaque at the centre.
- 5
Char the lemon
Press the lemon halves cut side down into the hot pan for two minutes until deeply caramelised.
- 6
Plate
Rest the fish for two minutes, spoon the herb oil generously over and around, and finish with flaky salt and the charred lemon.
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Chef’s tips
- One turn only. Every additional flip breaks the crust you have just built.
- Make the herb oil no more than an hour ahead — it dulls in colour as it sits.
- If the portions are thicker than 4 cm, finish them in a 180 °C oven for three minutes.
Storage advice
Best served straight from the pan. Herb oil keeps in the fridge for three days and is excellent over grilled vegetables.
Frequently asked questions
- Skin on or off?
- Kingklip portions are usually supplied skinless. If yours has skin, cook skin side down first and press it flat for the first minute.
- How do I know it is cooked?
- The flesh turns opaque and gives slightly when pressed. Pull it at the point where the very centre is still a shade translucent — it carries over as it rests.
- Can I substitute another fish?
- Yellowtail or a thick hake fillet both work well with the same method and timings.
Nutritional information
Estimated values per serving. Actual values vary with portion size and ingredients.
- Energy
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Carbohydrate
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 540 mg
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