Cape Malay-Style Pickled Fish
Seasoned hake, tender-crisp onions and warm Cape Malay spices, left to mingle in a sweet-and-tangy pickle until every bite is bursting with flavour.
A beloved South African dish with deep roots in Cape Malay food traditions. Pieces of hake are coated in a warmly spiced batter and fried until crisp, then covered with soft onions in a sweet, tangy and aromatic vinegar pickle. Give it a few days in the fridge for all those flavours to soak in, then serve chilled or at room temperature — with hot cross buns if you want the classic combination.
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Make the Batter
Add the flour, Cape Malay curry spice, dried mixed herbs and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- 2
Gradually pour in the water while mixing until you have a thick, smooth batter. It should be thick enough to generously coat each piece of fish.
- 3
Fry the Fish
Heat enough vegetable oil in a large frying pan for shallow-frying.
The rest of this recipe
There’s 8 more ingredients and 11 more steps to go.
Start 7 days free and the rest of Cape Malay-Style Pickled Fish opens in full.
- Every recipe in full, this one included
- One shopping list across everything you’re cooking
- Servings that scale, and cups instead of grams
- Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia a question on any recipe
A payment method is collected at checkout. Your 7 days are free; cancel before they’re up and you’re not charged. After that your plan renews automatically until you cancel, which takes two clicks in your account.
Ivana Sanshia’s note
Don't rush it. The fish may taste good on day one, but those few days in the fridge are what bring everything together.
Club
Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia
If you have any questions, ask, and Ivana Sanshia replies to you personally. No Bots, No AI.
Sent to Chef Ivana Sanshia
She reads every question herself and replies by email, usually within a day or two.
Filed under
Picked by Ivana Sanshia
Other dishes you might like
All recipes →Hand-picked to round out the meal, or simply to cook next.
