PICKLED FISH WITH FENNEL
A delicious South African favorite.
- 2 kg firm white fish fillets
- salt and milled black pepper
- 40 ml (8 teaspoons) cake flour
- oil for frying
- Curry sauce:
- 3 cups vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 4 large onions, peeled and sliced
- 6 lemon leaves
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup sultanas
Cut the fish into pieces and season. Dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish on both sides until cooked through.
Drain on paper towels.
Make the curry sauce.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, curry powder, fennel, cumin, salt and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil.
Add the onions, lemon leaves, crushed ginger and bay leaves.
Simmer for approximately 10 minutes, remove the onions with a slotted spoon after 8 minutes. Do not overcook the onions, keep them crunchy!
Mix 15 ml (1 tablespoon) flour into the sauce. Stir over high heat until it thickens.
Fling in the sultanas and stir well.
Layer the fish and onions in a glass dish. Pour the sauce over. Cover, cool and then refrigerate.
Let the fish stand for 3 days before eating.
Pickled fish will keep for up to 1 month, stored airtight in a clean glass container, in the fridge.
Tip:
Didn’t have lemon leaves? Added about a tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Note:
Tosca Matthee – I bought 2 boxes of Sea Harvest hake medallions (enough for 3 of us) and used Rajah flavorful and mild curry powder, also 2 cups of vinegar for the amount of fish and half the water and sugar.
Recipe: Jenny Morris
Recipe tested and photo: Tosca Matthee
