Let’s get the fundamentals out of the way. There’s one major reason I love fish and chips: my mother.
Although she grew up in the townships south of Johannesburg, far from any salty seawater, she always had a taste for fish. Perhaps it was her time spent in Barbados, or maybe she – like so many of us – just knew that it was amazing.
In hindsight, making the move to Cape Town must have been quite a culture shock for her, but it came with a silver lining: all the seafood her heart desired.
I grew up in Bo-Kaap, a Cape Malay community with its own special relationship with cuisine. From here, it was just a short walk to any number of Portuguese fisheries. My mom’s favourite was Texies at the Grand Parade.
The shop was always busy, filled with Capetonians from all walks of life looking to get a piece of the best fried fish in town.
Outside, taxi gaatjies shouted their destinations at passers-by, while I waddled around in the smelly store, pressing my face to the glass so that I could get a better look at the whole fish lying on beds of ice, eyes and all.
Meanwhile, my mom would be ordering lunch: one snoek parcel, one hake parcel, and a couple of traditional fish cakes. We’d walk or drive back up to our home in Bo-Kaap and dig in, making the whole kitchen smell like oil and vinegar.
Most of the time, it was just my mom and I. I don’t think my dad and younger brother shared our enthusiasm for fish, although I think my old man did enjoy the odd fish cake every now and then.
But something changed. I became a fussy food brat and turned my nose up at any sort of seafood. What a fool I was! Thankfully, I don’t have “childish tastebuds” anymore, and now, every time I think of fish and chips, my mouth waters, and I’m transported back to the 90s.
This recipe is a tribute to my mother. Without her, I wouldn’t have the passion for cooking I have today.
P.S. She might frown on the addition of beer, but a non-alcoholic beer never hurt anybody!
Method
Step 1: Prepare the fish
Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper towel. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and half of the rice flower. Add the rest of the rice flour into a shallow bowl. Set both bowls aside.
Note: Nope, the rice flour can’t be substituted with wheat flour. In Japanese cooking, rice flour has been used for years to ensure a crispier end result in deep-fried foods. Also, don’t use any tempura pre-mix, just plain rice flour.
Step 2: Prepare the chips
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 to 1,5 cm slices. Place them in a bowl of cold water and allow them to soak for at least 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large pot, skillet or deep-fryer to 145 ºC (293 ºF).
Fry the chips in batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pot. Fry for 8 minutes, until the smaller chips begin to brown slightly and the bigger ones are soft in the center.
Place the chips in a dish lined with kitchen towel and cover with a lid. Allow to steam for at least 3 minutes, and then open the lid slightly.
Fun fact: One would typically fry chips at a higher temperature (usually anything from 180 ºC / 350 ºF) for crispier results. South African style “slap” chips are soft, and drenched in vinegar and salt. It is not supposed to be crispy, hence the lower temperature for these chips.
Step 3: Mix the batter and dust the fish
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the ice-cold beer or soda water, mixing as you do so. Once you have a bubbly batter, stop mixing – lumps are fine and overmixing will make the batter thin and flat.
Once that’s done, season each piece of fish with salt. Then, coat them in the remaining rice flour and set aside for up to 5 minutes.
Fun fact: The beer or soda water needs to be very cold, because cold liquids hinder or slow the formation of gluten and it holds its carbonation longer.
Step 4: Fry the fish
Increase the oil’s temperature to 195 ºC (383 ºF).
Coat the fish fillets in the batter one at a time, allow excess batter to drip off, and gently add them into the hot oil. Again, don’t overcrowd the pot or fryer!
Fry for 2 minutes, flip, and then fry for another 1 minute. Once the batter is golden-brown all over, remove the fish with a slotted spoon and place into a dish lined with kitchen towel.
Step 5: Serve
Plate up a crispy chunk of fish with some deliciously floppy slap chips, seasoned with salt and a drizzle of vinegar. Serve with a whole pickled onion (it’s a must!), a dollop of tartar sauce, and a fluffy roll cut in half.
The rest is up to you, but I usually break up some fish by hand, put it on the roll, and top it with onion, tartar sauce, and chips. Open wide!
