PICKLE FISH [sic] is a very big traditional Good Friday delicacy in the coloured (mixed race) community of South Africa. The tradition, drawing from various cultures, is rooted in the Christian practices of keeping Good Friday as a Holy day of fast and abstinence (no meat and no work - hence no cooking either). The method of making pickle fish lends itself perfectly to Good Friday observances. My own family tradition has always been to refrain from meat after the Maundy Thursday Evening Mass until Easter Saturday. On Good Friday we would normally fast until after the three hour Good Friday service whereafter we would feast ourselves on pickle fish and hot cross buns!
Pickle fish is prepared by frying a fairly meaty fleshed fish in batter and then covering it with a pickled onion sauce. The pickle sauce is normally quite spicy. The pickle fish then has to stand for several days absorbing all the flavours of the spices and vinegar for intensity and is served as a cold dish (room temperature). During Holy Week the aromas of pickle fish emanating from all the homes can be quite overwhelming. There is nothing better than a plate of pickle fish and a freshly baked hot cross bun on Good Friday!
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