Pickled Fish

the golden turmeric-and-onion cold-pickle of the Cape Easter table

Origin: Cape Town, South Africa

From the journey of Turmeric.

Cape Malay pickled fish is the culinary signature of the Cape Muslim community in Cape Town's Bo-Kaap quarter, prepared traditionally for Easter Good Friday and eaten cold over the Easter weekend. The dish is a direct descendant of the Indian Ocean atchaar and acar (pickled preparations) that enslaved and transported Indian Ocean peoples brought to the Cape Colony from Java, Malaysia, and the Malabar Coast from the mid-17th century. The turmeric provides both the dish's defining golden colour and its preservation function: the acetic acid of the vinegar and the curcumin of the turmeric together create a mild pickling environment in which the fried fish remains edible and flavoursome for two to three days without refrigeration, a practical necessity in the conditions of the original Cape kitchen.

Ingredients

Fish

  • 1 kg firm white fish fillets (kabeljou, hake, or snoek), skin on, cut into 6 cm portions
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
  • 60 g plain flour
  • 100 ml neutral oil, for frying

Pickling sauce

  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 3 large onions, peeled and cut into thin rings
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp chilli powder or 1 tsp mild masala
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or apricot jam
  • 300 ml white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 tsp fine salt

Method

    The Gastrographer

    The Gastrographer

    Mapping Culinary History

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    Journey Point Map Key

    Ingredient originTrade or transit route
    Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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