Cape Malay Pickled Fish
Fried white fish soaked in a sweet, curried onion vinegar, served cold and a favourite at Easter.
- Time45 min plus chilling
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.78 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Cut the fish into large pieces. Mix the flour, turmeric and 1 tsp salt on a plate and coat the fish.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the fish for 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Lay in a wide dish.
6 min - 3
Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Cook the onions for 8 minutes until soft. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
8 min - 4
Add the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer for 10 minutes.
10 min - 5
Pour the hot onion mixture over the fish. Cool, cover and chill for at least 24 hours.
- 6
Serve cold with buttered bread or salad.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.