Coconut Pickled Fish
Ingredients
- Sauce:
- Glug canola oil, for frying
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 curry leaves
- 4 tsp (20ml) mild curry powder
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) fish masala spice mix
- 2 tsp (10ml) turmeric
- 1 tsp (5ml) ground coriander
- ½ cup (125ml) white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup (65g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) apricot jam
- 1 can (400g) coconut milk
- Salt and milled pepper
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) cornflour (mixed with 1 Tbsp (15ml) cold water to create a paste)
- 1kg yellowtail fillets
- 4 tsp (20ml) masala spice mix
- Olive or canola oil, for frying
- Fruity sambal and crusty bread, for serving (see Good Idea below)
Method
- Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion for 8 minutes, or until golden.
- Stir in spices and fry for a minute.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients, except for the cornflour, and simmer for 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in cornflour paste and simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Set aside and keep warm.
- Season fish and sprinkle evenly with spice mix.
- Heat oil in a pan over high heat.
- Fry fish skin-side down for 3–4 minutes, or until skin is crispy – fish should move loosely without sticking when the pan is lightly shaken.
- Flip over and fry for another 2–3 minutes or until golden. Take care not to overcook.
- Spoon sauce over fish and serve with sambal and crusty bread on the side.
GOOD IDEA:
For a fruity sambal, dice ½ tub (250g) fresh mango chunks. Slice ½ tub (50g) fresh coconut chunks into shavings using a vegetable peeler. Combine mango, coconut shavings, 2–3 sliced jalapeños and ¼ punnet (5g) each chopped parsley and fresh coriander. Mix 2 Tbsp (30ml) each castor sugar and hot water, pour over sambal and infuse for 5 minutes. Serve with pickled fish.
