5 recipes to make with store-bought pickled fish

By TASTE, 22 March 2024

For many South Africans, Easter isn’t complete without pickled fish. This popular Cape Malay dish consists of deep-fried and battered firm fish that’s pickled in a curry-spiced sauce and slices of onion. This year, rethink how you serve it with additions such as hot cross buns, pitas and noodles.

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If you usually serve pickled fish with a side of rice or flatbreads, we want you to think outside the box. This sweet-and-sour dish can be enjoyed in many ways, but the important thing is to prioritise flavour and texture. Because it's pickled for some time, the deep-fried battered fish softens. Pair it with crunchy, crispy textures to balance the dish and lean into the sweet, vinegary, spicy flavour to emphasise the pickled fish.

@wwtaste Hands up: are you a pickled fish fan? How do you enjoy pickled fish? Have you ever eaten it on hot cross buns? Tell us in the comments! Need some fresh ideas for how to serve it? Head to taste.co.za for all our best pickled fish recipes. #pickledfish #southafrica #easter@Woolworths SA ♬ Listen - Official Sound Studio

1. The ultimate pickled fish sandwich

This sandwich is inspired by Vietnamese bahn-mi. We're obsessed with the combination of savoury, salty, tangy flavours and crunchy textures that a bite of banh mi delivers. The toasted chewy baguette is the perfect vessel for sliced carrot, pineapple, cucumber and pickled beetroot. The thinly sliced chillies give it a spicy kick, while the smoked snoek pâté makes it extra fishy. Each bite promises an explosion of flavours that will undoubtedly make this your new favourite sandwich.

Get the recipe for the ultimate pickled fish sandwich here.

2. Hot cross buns with pickled fish

This is a Western and Eastern Cape classic that more people should try. This pairing takes sweet and salty to another level with the addition of the spicy pickled fish. It may seem like an odd combo, but once you've tried it, you'll give it rave reviews.

Hot cross buns with pickled fish Get the recipe for hot cross buns with pickled fish here.

3. Home-made steamed buns with pickled cucumber and pickled fish

Want to get creative with Good Friday leftovers? These steamed buns are it! Don't be intimated, making them at home is super easy. Top with pickled fish and cucumbers or, even better, place everything on the table and get the family to build their own.

Get the recipe for home-made steamed buns with pickled cucumber and pickled fish here.

4. Pickled fish with noodles and pink pickled radishes

Crunchy cabbage, pickled radishes and pickled fish are served with chewy rice noodles to make a low-effort dish that's perfect to make when you're not in the mood for cooking after a busy long weekend. Feel free to add more crunchy raw vegetables to bulk it up.

Get the recipe for pickled fish with noodles and pink pickled radishes here.

5. Build-it-yourself pickled fish mini pitas

Headed off to a picnic over the long weekend? These pickled fish mini pitas are the thing to pack into your picnic basket. Toss crunchy celery sticks with diced grapefruit and lime juice, and serve with shredded cabbage and pickled fish in toasted pitas. All the elements can be prepped ahead, so all you have to do on the day is pack your basket and head outdoors.

Get the recipe for build-it-yourself pickled fish mini pitas here.

Woolworths' pickled fish is made with battered yellowtail or hake fillets in a mild curry sauce with onions and bay leaves. All fish used is responsibly sourced. Woolworths works with local and international organisations to meet sustainable seafood commitments.

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Article by TASTE

The TASTE team is a happy bunch of keen cooks and writers, always on the look out for the next food trend or the next piece of cake.
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