Cape Malay Pickled Fish with Curried Onions

Name: Cape Malay Pickled Fish with Curried Onions
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1½ lb cod, hake or other firm white fish, in 3-inch pieces; 3 onions, sliced into rings; 2 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 tbsp grated ginger; crusty bread, sliced, for serving; 1 cup vinegar; ½ cup sugar; ⅓ cup flour; ¼ cup oil; 2 tbsp curry powder; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 6 allspice berries; 3 bay leaves; salt

LunchSouth African45 minServes 4680 kcal43 g protein

Cape Town's Easter favorite: golden fried fish layered with sweet-sour onions in a turmeric-yellow, gently curried vinegar, chilled overnight and eaten with buttered bread.

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Ingredients

1½ lb cod, hake or other firm white fish, in 3-inch pieces
3 onions, sliced into rings
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp grated ginger
crusty bread, sliced, for serving

From your pantry: 1 cup vinegar, ½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup oil, 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 6 allspice berries, 3 bay leaves, salt.

Instructions

Season the fish with salt and 1 tsp curry powder, then dust in flour. Fry in 3 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high until golden and just cooked, 3 minutes per side. Lay in a glass dish.
In a pot, cook the onions in the remaining oil over medium for 3 minutes so they soften but keep some crunch. Add the garlic, ginger, the rest of the curry powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin seeds for 1 minute.
Add the vinegar, ¾ cup water, sugar, allspice, bay leaves and 1 tsp salt. Simmer 5 minutes and taste: it should be sharply sweet-sour.
Pour the hot onions and liquid over the fish so it is covered. Cool, then cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours (2 to 3 days is better).
Serve cold or at room temperature with buttered bread.

Tip: Cape cooks use snoek, yellowtail or kingklip; any firm white fish that won't flake apart works. Many families buy ready-made 'pickled fish masala' for the spice.