Monday 1 June 2020

Traditional South African recipe – ideal for hot weather

The weather has been extraordinary, very warm and sunny: although the gardeners are not very happy and believe it or not we could be facing a hosepipe ban.  From tomorrow we can meet up to six people outside, including in a garden – an exciting prospect. 

Would be good to have lunch outside – we could get a take-away so that everyone has their own parcel of food or perhaps I could make something like this and make sure that each person has their own serving spoon, everything to go straight into the dishwasher afterwards, don't touch your face, wash your hands.  Or perhaps I just dish up (wearing a mask and gloves) and no second helpings.  Or we could just eat it ourselves……

The first method is the family one but the second one works perfectly well and is less hassle. In South Africa we always used Kingklip which I have found very occasionally in London.  It is the best firm white fish!




1 K firm white fish fillets                          
4 sliced onions
about 350 ml white wine/cider vinegar
1.5 teas flour                                               
1 clove garlic, crushed                              
2 teas lemon juice
12 peppercorns                                           
6 bay leaves
¼ teas peri peri (hot chilli)                      
1 tab turmeric
sugar, salt and pepper to taste              
butter

Cut fish into large cubes and fry in butter until golden and cooked through.  Remove and add more butter, fry onions for five minutes.  Push to the side of the pan, put in garlic, turmeric and peri peri, 2 teas sugar, salt and pepper, add flour and fry for a moment and then add vinegar and lemon juice and bring to the boil for five minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Arrange fish in a dish and pour the sauce over – cool and refrigerate.  Apparently keeps for two weeks – wouldn’t know never lasted that long.

Alternative method – less hassle!

Fry the onions, add the spices, flour etc as above and then add vinegar and lemon juice.  Mix together and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Put fish in an oven-proof dish, cover with onion mixture and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes.


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