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Cape Town (South Africa)
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Main course
Fish & Seafood
Food Flavour DNA
Nutritional Values
450kcal
50gProtein
10gCarbs
25gFat
1gFibre
250 gServing
* Per serving · 250 g. May vary.
Allergens
🐟 Fish
Smoked Snoek
How to order / say it
Say it
Gerookte Snoek — [guh-ROOK-tuh Snook]
Order
I'd like the Smoked Snoek, please.
Locally
Ek wil asseblief die Gerookte Snoek hê.
Say locally
A type of fish commonly smoked and served with apricot jam.
Why try it?
Smoked Snoek is a taste of Cape Town's deep-seated Cape Malay fishing traditions, offering insight into the coastal community's reliance on and celebration of the ocean. It's a dish that combines local seafood with cooking methods from the Malay culture.
How it tastes
The fish has a pronounced smoky aroma and a dense, oily texture. The fusion of savory and sweet in its seasoning delivers a complex, balanced flavor profile, often matched with sweetness from apricot jam.
Origin & History — first documented: 1750
Snoek has been a part of Cape Town's coastal diets for centuries, with the practice of smoking fish to preserve it dating back to the 18th century. The dish has evolved as a staple, often served at family gatherings and local festivals.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 🐟 600 g snoek
- 🧂 40 g salt
- 🍯 50 g apricot jam
- 🧂 1 tbsp black pepper
- 🍋 30 ml lemon juice
Method
- 1 Clean and fillet the snoek.
- 2 Rub with salt and pepper, then smoke over a fire.
- 3 Once smoked, glaze fillets with apricot jam.
- 4 Serve with a drizzle of lemon juice.
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