Updated June 2021: Pickled fish is such a uniquely South African dish, if any of you are having friends or family out for the world cup, you want to make a batch of this pickled fish recipe. It keeps in the fridge for ages ready for a quick meal, is simple to make and will be a hit with your visitors. Pics and recipe updated provided by a sister from another mother.
What you need
kg firm white fish (skin removed)
Flour for dredging
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable oil
Sauce
500ml white vinegar
500ml water
250ml sugar
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
4 large onions sliced
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Maizena (cornflour) mixed with 125ml water
The process
To make the pickling sauce put a pot on the stove on a medium to high heat and add the vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, curry powder, and peppercorns. Bring it to the boil while you stir. It is important to stir while the sugar dissolves.
Add the bay leaves and the onions, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes to soften the onions, you don’t want them completely soft but softened with a firm center.
Now add the maizena and water mixture and stir until the sauce thickens. This should take no more than 2 or mintues. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it stand while you prepare the fish.
Cut the fish into nice size pieces that will make 2 or 3 pieces per portion.
Heat some oil in a pan and fry the fish fillets after dredging in seasoned flour, until cooked through.
In a large glass or ceramic dish, layer the fish with onions from the sauce between each layer and a few on the top. The pour over the sauce, cover with cling wrap and pop in the fridge.
If you can resist it, leave it to pickle for a few days before you try it, but it can be eaten the next day.
It will last for a few weeks in the fridge as long as it is covered with the sauce.
Hi i live in the Scotland is thear any ather fish that is available in the UK that i can use to make some pickled fish
your sincerely
miles
Hi Miles, great to have you visit us from Scotland. You can use any firm white fish, I am not familiar with the fish varieties in Scotland but something like monkfish would do very well. Happy days G
Hi Miles,
I live in Norfolk so in the UK, i use Vietnamese cobbler. It’s perfect for this dish.
Hi
Is it possible to scale down, ussually I have disasters when I scale down the recipes.
Hi Nkele, This should not be a problem to halve, baking is usually the issue with scaling but on this one you will be fine. Happy days G
hi there, I am looking for a recipe for pickle fish to be canned in bottels. Can you help me, the recipe must be for sea fish. Thanx
Elmarie
Hi elmarie, I havn’t made it for bottling before but you may want to look at this recipe.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6336
Cheers G
Hi,
My Mother in Law grew up in SA, been looking for a pickled fish recipe for ages, thank you..
Fantastic Mary, glad you found us. Have a lekker day G
Hi Graham,
Please tell me if you can freeze pickled fish. There are only two of us and the recipe makes too much. Many Thanks.
Regards Maureen
Hi Maureen, It lasts a long time in the fridge once pickled but whatever you do, don’t freeze it… Have a lekker week G
Hi, Please can you help. My Husband made the pickled fish, but there is too much vinegar/curry powder in. How can we reduce this “heat”. Jill
Hi Jill, remove as much of the sauce as you can and make a separate batch to pour over it. If it is too spicy hot, try using a mild curry powder. If it is really very strong, remove the fish, rinse a little under cold water and restart the sauce. Hope that helps. G
Hi Graham pls help am confused, you mean vegetable oil? what type of sauce do I have to use?
Hi Puleng, thats vegetable or sunflower oil. You make the sauce as directed above and then pour it over the layers of fish and onions which have come out of the sauce. Have a good weekend. G
Ah this looks like a good one….not doing Woolworths pickle fish again, gonna try this one. Now lets have the Hot + Bun recipe pl.
Woolies pickled fish is good but I prefer it without batter.. enjoy it Meryl. Hot+ buns recipe I have, just have not made for such a long time. Check back tomorrow afternoon to see if I had a chance last night. Happy easter. G
hi graham, was just chatting to my friend in the uk about making somepickled fish, she looked on the internet, but found only confusing/complicated recipes. something told me to check my mail, u would have posted a recipe! thanks a mil! gonna make mine this evening 🙂
Fantastic michelle, have a great time. G
You mention storage in a glass or ceramic dish. I have used one of those disposable aluminium roasting dishes. Do you think the sauce will re-act with the container? Will the food have a “tainted” flavour? Please advise. Thanks
Hi Vic, yes I have noticed it gets a mettalic taste… there is a lot of acid in the sauce with all the vinegar. Cheers G
I have very fond memories of my grandmother everythime I eat pickled fish. My mother-in-law’s pickled fish is also increadibly good.
You are right. This is very South African
Hi Harspear, gotta love this country and all the different folk in it.. Cheers G
I will love you for the rest of my life.
Love you too Wendy.. have a fabulous time. G