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Certified Sustainable Seafood

Cape Malay pickled hake

Prep time
10 mins
Cooking Time
20 mins
Serves
8
Cape Malay pickled hake
  • 2kg MSC certified Cape hake, cleaned and cut into sections
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced into rings
  • 2 cups white wine vinegar
  • 125ml water
  • 75ml white sugar
  • 3 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
  • 10ml ground turmeric
  • 10ml cumin seeds
  • 10ml garam masala powder
  • 10ml coriander seeds
  • 10ml black peppercorns
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cake flour
  • 10ml salt

  1. Fry the hake sections in olive oil until just cooked through. Season the fish with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Fry the onions in a little olive oil until just cooked – you want them to still have a crunch.
  3. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves, spices, salt and peppercorns and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Use a little of the sauce combined with the flour to make a roux. Thicken the sauce and add in the fried onions.
  4. Use boiling water to sterilize a few jars or one large container. Place the hake sections into the jars and spoon over the onions and sauce, taking care to entirely cover each piece of fish.
  5. Refrigerate the pickled fish and serve after a minimum of three days. The fish will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 6 months. 

Ingredients

Method

  • 2kg MSC certified Cape hake, cleaned and cut into sections
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced into rings
  • 2 cups white wine vinegar
  • 125ml water
  • 75ml white sugar
  • 3 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
  • 10ml ground turmeric
  • 10ml cumin seeds
  • 10ml garam masala powder
  • 10ml coriander seeds
  • 10ml black peppercorns
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cake flour
  • 10ml salt

  1. Fry the hake sections in olive oil until just cooked through. Season the fish with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Fry the onions in a little olive oil until just cooked – you want them to still have a crunch.
  3. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves, spices, salt and peppercorns and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Use a little of the sauce combined with the flour to make a roux. Thicken the sauce and add in the fried onions.
  4. Use boiling water to sterilize a few jars or one large container. Place the hake sections into the jars and spoon over the onions and sauce, taking care to entirely cover each piece of fish.
  5. Refrigerate the pickled fish and serve after a minimum of three days. The fish will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.