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Cape Town Pickled Fish

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PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
25 min
TOTAL TIME
1525 min
SERVINGS
12 servings
Dinner African South African
Cape Town Pickled Fish
Ingredients
  • 1/2 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
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
1
Collect all the necessary ingredients beforehand.
2
Heat a generous amount of oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and cook it in the hot skillet until it develops a golden-brown color on both sides, breaking apart easily with a fork, approximately 5 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked fish to a plate.
3
Add sliced onions and minced garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until they become translucent, taking around 5 minutes. Introduce diced chile pepper, bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice berries into the skillet. Pour in vinegar and water, stirring until it reaches a boil. Combine brown sugar with the mixture by stirring until it dissolves completely. Season with curry powder, cumin, coriander, and turmeric to taste. Taste the mixture again and add brown sugar if you find it requires more sweetness.
4
Arrange layers of fish and pickling mixture in a serving dish. Pour the remaining pickling liquid over the top layer of fish to cover it completely. Allow the dish to cool down to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.