Maureen's Pickled Fish

Ingredients

• 1.kingklip, cut into fingers; battered and fried; drained and set aside
• 2.onions, 2–3; sliced
• 3.190 millilitre brown sugar
• 4.375 millilitre water
• 5.190 millilitre white vinegar
• 6.2 bay leaves
• 7.4 cloves, whole
• 8.6 black peppercorns, whole
• 9.18.5 millilitre curry powder, medium
• 10.1.25 millilitre turmeric, ground
• 11.825 gram canned apricot halves, 825g tin; juice reserved
• 12.375 millilitre apricot juice, from the tin; topped up with Liquifruit apricot juice if needed to reach 375ml

Method

1. 1.Batter and fry the fish fingers. Drain and set aside.
2. 2.Bring to the boil the onions, the brown sugar, the water, the vinegar, the bayleaves, the cloves, the peppercorns, the curry powder and the turmeric. Simmer until the onions are soft.
3. 3.Purée the tinned apricots. Sieve. Mix with the apricot juices and add to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. 4.Pour the hot mixture over the fried fish and allow to marinade in fridge for 24 hours.

Notes

• Pickled fish is a traditional Cape Malay dish served cold — very popular at Easter in South Africa.
• Kingklip = Genypterus capensis, a popular South African deep-sea fish.
• Liquifruit = South African brand of fruit juice, used to top up apricot juice if the tin doesn't provide enough.
• Must be made at least 24 hours ahead — flavour improves with time.