South African Traditional Pickled Fish

[Dorothy Alice Cecilia Lubbe]

Well I am looking forward to visiting with the family and grandchildren in our holiday home in Onrus tomorrow after Abe completes his run in the Two Oceans Marathon Event. He’s being accompanied by our younger son Gregson. It will be a weekend of chilling out, breaking bread and will as usual consist of a non-stop round of superb eating enjoyment. Our son in law Stuart is an excellent cook, and I cannot wait to see what he has planned for us.

South Africa has an eclectic food tradition. Over the centuries a diverse cultural heritage has hugely influenced and brought about a truly inspirational cuisine that is distinctly flavourful. Having been influenced by Dutch, Malay, English, French Huguenot, Italian, Mozambican Portuguese, Greek, Indian, Chinese and of course our indigenous African tribes, as well as by a geographical diversity our gastronomy reveals a myriad of ingredients and our traditional foods have evolved to include a magical array of dishes. I look forward to introducing you to these different traditions and ingredients over the course of time.

Across the nations natural ingredients and religious traditions bring forward assorted and recurring events of cultural festivities. South Africa is no different. This week-end families will get together to celebrate Passover, the culmination of Lent etc. But most of all across the land fires will be lit and Braais (the vernacular and beloved word for a way of life known commonly in other cultures as barbeques) will offer up their gorgeous aromas of gently roasting meats accompanied by fresh salads, wines, beers and the sounds of happy and contented souls enjoying the sheer pleasure of being together.

Yesterday as I was shopping for Easter Eggs I was met by the wonderful spicy smells of Fresh Hot Cross Buns filling the air. Here in South Africa we do not refer to Shopping Malls but instead to Shopping Centres. And the happy chatting and freely given advice of the Cape Malay Mamas as they shopped for the accompaniments to their already prepared delicious Pickled Fish brought much happiness to my harried soul. Of all the traditional foods pertaining to this wonderful land, the pickled fish of the Cape is definitely one of my favourites. It has been prepared for centuries and is one of our most renowned Cape dishes. Deliciously fragrant and deeply revered it is a dish that can be purchase in cans in every small café, neighbourhood supermarkets, and the delicatessen sections and even restaurants have offerings of this aromatic pickled fish to tempt ones palate.

The Cape of Good Hope was founded by the Dutch East Indian Company with the express purpose of providing a doorway or stopover to the Spice Islands of the east and their wonderful fragrant treasures. This has hugely influenced our cuisine, bringing with it a deep intensity of flavours that at times to many foreign, pallid or bland palates can seem almost bizarre. The use of sweet and sour, spicy and oft times piquantly hot, defines the cultural uniqueness of South African Cuisine.

Preserving fish through pickling is a universal method and in South Africa what sets this apart is the addition of flavourful spices. Centuries ago the Malay salves brought to the Cape their method of preserving fish by steeping in a fragrant mixture of vinegar, onions and a good measure of spices. We use local firm white fish known as snoek, kabeljou, kingklip or geelbeck. Hake or merluzca is too soft and falls apart.

Here is the recipe for CAPE PICKLED FISH. It combines the elements of sweet and sour, hot + spicey and is distinguished by the use of apricot jam. I love it just that little more than I do the preserved fish dishes as offered by the Portuguese and Spanish Escabesche and the Italian white antipasti fish dish, supplied by speciality delicatessens over here and very pricey. I request of you to, as I am quite sure that you will, carry the principles of Marcello’s kitchen to this dish, using the firmest and freshest of your local form fish with the most aromatic and freshest of spices that you can obtain. ENJOY with a glass of ice cold semi-sweet white wine!


2 kgs filleted firm white fish cut into portions
120ml olive oil for frying
4-6 large onions sliced
30ml good medium strength curry powder (here in South Africa we are able to obtain many mixtures or masalas and even garam masalas for fish, meat, chicken etc)
2 red chillies chopped
5ml turmeric
30ml brown sugar
125g seedless raisins (optional)
650ml white wine vinegar
150ml water
2 bay leaves
30ml smooth apricot jam
Sea salt + freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pat fish dry and fry in 60ml heated oil for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Drain and set aside. Wipe out frying pan. Heat remaining 60nl oil and sauté onions until soft and just golden. Add curry powder, chillies, turmeric sugar and raisins. Stir together for 1 minute before adding vinegar and water to make a smooth thin sauce. Add bay leaves and apricot jam with seasoning to taste. Simmer sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. Layer fish and pour hot sauce over allowing to marinate in a deep earthen or glass dish. When cool, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 days before serving with crusty fresh bread.

Serves 8