Curried Pickled Fish, Old Traditional South African Recipe
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Serves:
-
16
ingredients
- 3628.73 g fish, firm-fleshed, weighed after filleting and frying (see instructions)
- 8 onions, very large, sliced thinly
- oil (for frying, or use lard, which is nicer)
- 59.16 ml curry powder (use good quality)
- 1892.72 ml vinegar (do not use spirit vinegar!)
- 118.29 ml sugar
- 2-3 hot peppers, fresh, sliced open (optional)
- 14.79 ml salt
- 14.79 ml white peppercorns (or you can use black)
- 59.16-88.74 ml apricot preserves (jam)
directions
- First fry the fish in a LARGE pan or skillet in the oil or lard, without seasoning. Remove fish to cool, but leave the pan on the stove.
- Fry the onions, stirring, in the same pan, without browning them. Add more oil/butter/lard if necessary. Remove onions with a slotted spoon to a bowl to cool.
- Add all the remaining ingredients. Decide how hot you'd like it: those hot peppers, or chillies, went into the mixture seeds and all! Leave them out if you like.
- Mix well and boil furiously for 6 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool.
- Using a deep dish OR clean canning jars, put some of the liquid in the bottom.
- Place a layer of fried fish on the sauce, and cover with more sauce and a layer of onions.
- Repeat layers until used up, trying to finish with a layer of onions.
- Cover and leave in fridge for 2 - 3 days before tasting. If in jars, close the jars tightly.
- Believe me -- in days of old this fish was not refrigerated. It can be kept for a long, long time, and therefore travels well! It is DELICIOUS, eaten cold with bread and sweet, milky tea!
- Some cooks added lemon or orange leaves to the final layering for a delicate extra flavour.
Reviews
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Zurie
South Africa
I'm a widow, retired, and I love cooking. I live on the coast in South Africa and I love seafood. You're welcome to my recipes (all kinds, definitely not just seafood!) Just remember that no recipe is ever cast in stone -- adjust to your taste!
The photo was taken at a rustic seaside restaurant on our West Coast, approx 1 year ago (2016).