11 Tips To Get Your Pickled Fish On Fleek

Easter doesn’t announce itself. It slips in through the senses. You’ll smell it in the supermarket bakery where the hot cross buns sit warm on the racks. You’ll see it as soon as you walk into the store – all the chocolate eggs screaming for your attention. You’ll hear it when the snoek bakkie makes its rounds again in the neighbourhood. Around here, it means pickled fish season has arrived. 

 

And this is where people start taking sides. Some wait all year for it, while others avoid it completely. Then you’ve got the ones who swear they make the pickled fish in town, and those whose curry sauce never come out right because the family recipe is locked up like a state secret.

 

In our house, it’s not Easter without the smell of vinegar and spices filling the kitchen. It’s part of our culture. The fish is bought well ahead of time and kept frozen until the big day. By the time Easter weekend rolls around, you’ve eaten so much pickled fish you can taste it in your sleep.

 

By Easter Monday, all that’s left are the pickled onions swimming in curry sauce, which true fans will happily mop up with a leftover hot cross bun. Your Tupperware is stained yellow, and your kitchen towels need an overnight soak in bleach — a sure sign it was a good Easter.

 

I asked around the family and knocked on a few doors in the neighbourhood to get some tips on what makes pickled fish really lekka and will be sharing some tips with you below.
In this post:

• Choosing the Right Fish

• Proper Fish Preparation

• The Flour and Frying Technique

• Don’t Overcook or Under-cook the Fish

• Fry Fish in Small Batches

• Toasting the Spices

• The Right Cut for Onions

• Cooking The Onions

• Choose The Right Vinegar

• Sweet and Sour Balance

• Be Careful Not to Pour Hot Marinade Over the Fish

• Marinating Time

• Serving Suggestions

 

11 Tips To Get Your Pickled Fish On Fleek

 

1. Choosing the Right Fish

 

When you’re making pickled fish, it’s all about choosing the right fish. Hake, kingklip, and snoek are great picks — firm and white, they hold up well when fried and marinated. Freshness is the key to making it work, though. You want fish that’s firm and smells like the ocean, not something that’s been hanging around. The best bet is to go to Kalk Bay or Hout Bay docks, where you’ll find fresh catches. Or, grab fish from a local hawker who sources directly from the fishermen. That’s the kind of fish you want for your pickled dish.

 

2. Proper Fish Preparation

 

Before the fish meets the spices, get it prepped. Cut it into equal pieces, because uneven chunks don’t absorb flavour the same. Wet fish and flour don’t mix well, so dry it off first. That’s the small detail that makes a big difference when it’s time to soak up all that sweet-sour goodness.

 

3. The Flour and Frying Technique  

 

A light coating sets up the perfect fry. A dusting of seasoned flour locks in the flavour, while some recipes take it further with an egg wash before flouring to make the coating stick. Either way, the coating should work with the fish, not against it.

 

4. Don’t Overcook or Under-cook the Fish

 

The oil must be hot enough to work instantly. No half-hearted frying. Once the fish touches the pan, it should sizzle right away. Too much heat, and the outside goes dark before the inside is ready. Too little, and it soaks up oil like a sponge. A steady, even fry of around 5-10 minutes until it turns golden does the trick. Fish should never be chewy or raw. When it’s ready, it flakes apart with ease but still holds together.

 

4. Fry Fish in Small Batches

 

Rushing the frying step will leave you with sad, greasy fish. Drop a few pieces at a time into the hot oil, so each one gets its moment to crisp up properly. Crowding the pan makes the oil cool down too much, and that’s when things go wrong. Flip them once, let them turn golden, and pull them out while they’re still perfect.

 

4. Toasting The Spices

 

Toasted spices take pickled fish from lekker to next-level smaak. To bring out the best in your spices, toast them lightly in a dry pan before adding them to the fish. This helps release the oils in the spices, deepening the aroma and flavour.

 

5. The Right Cut for Onions 

 

Thick, even onion slices make all the difference in pickled fish. Too thin, and they disappear into the sauce. Too chunky, and they overpower every bite. About 5mm thick is the sweet spot. This is firm enough to hold their crunch but soft enough to soak up the sauce.

 

6. Cooking The Onions

 

Let your onions simmer in the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat. This gives them the time they need to absorb the vinegar and spices, while letting their natural sweetness come through. Keep a close watch, as you want them tender, not mushy.

 

 

7. Choose The Right Vinegar

 

Vinegar is what brings everything together in pickled fish. White wine vinegar or brown vinegar works beautifully, offering a balanced acidity that lifts the dish without taking over. Avoid using white spirits vinegar, which tends to have a sharpness that could drown out the other flavours.

 

8. Sweet and Sour Balance

 

A good pickled fish sauce needs to be sharp without being harsh, sweet without being sugary. One cup of vinegar to a quarter cup of sugar lays the foundation, while apricot jam or peach chutney gives it an extra boost.

 

9. Be Careful Not to Pour Hot Marinade Over the Fish

 

Don’t pour hot marinade over your fish. It’ll make the fish tough and rubbery. Let the marinade cool to room temperature before adding it. This way, the fish will stay tender and won’t overcook. 

 

10. Marinating Time

 The pickled fish needs to marinate for at least 24 hours, but ideally 48 hours, to allow the flavours to meld and the fish to absorb the pickling liquid. Store the pickled fish in a non-reactive container, such as glass or ceramic, in the refrigerator.

 

11. Serving Suggestions

When it’s ready, serve your pickled fish cold or at room temperature. The classic combo is with some soft brown bread or those delicious hot cross buns. Throw in a side of salad or chutney for extra zing.

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