Directly translated from Afrikaans to English, “smoorvis” refers to Cape Malay inspired “smothered fish”. It was originally made with salted, wind-dried (sea breeze) fish but this is difficult to source. Instead, you can use smoked snoek, which is a long perch-like fish found in our seas. Alternatively, use any other smoked fish of your choice.
Recipe by: Gold Restaurant
Serves: 10 (as a starter)
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Ingredients
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon
- 500 g smoked fish
- 2 medium onions, finely sliced
- 1 T butter
- 2 T vegetable oil for frying
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1-2 red or green chilies, seeded and finely sliced (or 10 ml green masala)
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped (or ½ tin good quality chopped tomatoes)
- 500 ml cooked long grain rice (250 ml uncooked)
- Pinch of salt (if required)
- 1 ml (¼ t) milled black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon or 45 ml (3 T) bottled (unsweetened) lemon juice
Method
- Skin, debone, and roughly flake the fish.
- On a medium-to high heat lightly fry onion in butter and oil in a large frying pan until glassy.
- Add the potato and fry until golden and cooked through.
- Turn down stove to a medium heat and add the chili and tomato. Allow to heat through stirring occasionally.
- Mix in the fish and cooked rice.
- Turn down stove to a low heat. Cover and allow to steam until piping hot.
- Check your seasoning. Add pepper. Usually the smoked fish is sufficiently salty to begin with but you can add salt if required.
- Spoon the “smoorvis” into individual bowls and flavour with a good squeeze or splash of lemon juice.
- Serve hot.
