Tinfish Chutney Recipe
Tinfish Chutney is a quick, flavorful South African Indian dish made with pilchards in tomato sauce, fresh aromatics, and spices. Perfect for lunch or supper, it’s budget-friendly, versatile, and comes together in about 30 minutes. Enjoy it with boiled eggs, rice, roti or even as a nostalgic beach sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 medium size onion
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 4 fresh green chillies
- 4 medium size jam tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp crushed ginger and garlic
- 1 tbsp mixed Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tin (400g) tinfish (Pilchards in tomato sauce)
- 4 eggs
- Dhania (coriander) to garnish
Instructions
Clean the Pilchards
- Gently separate each pilchard in half and remove the center bone.
- Scrape off any black coating on the outside.
- Wearing gloves is recommended for hygiene and easier handling.
- Place the cleaned pilchards in one bowl and the tomato sauce from the tin in another. Set aside for later.
Boil the Eggs
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add 1 tsp salt and 1/4–1/2 tsp baking soda (this helps the shells peel easily).
- Gently add the eggs to the boiling water.
- Simmer for 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
- Remove and place in cold water to stop the cooking process. Peel, and slice. Set aside.
Chutney
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add sliced onions, curry leaves, and green chillies. Sauté until onions are soft and translucent.
- Stir in turmeric, crushed ginger and garlic, and mixed Kashmiri chilli powder. Cook for a few minutes until these spices have cooked. Braise well so the spices are fully cooked and no raw flavor remains.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down into a saucy consistency.
- Pour in the tomato sauce from the pilchards tin and stir gently.
- Season with salt to balance the acidity, tasting as you go. Simmer the mixture until it thickens slightly to a chutney-like consistency.
- Carefully add the cleaned pilchards on top of the chutney. Gently place them in, they are soft and can break easily. Coat the pilchards lightly with the chutney using a spoon. Avoid stirring too much to keep the fish intact.
- (Optional): Arrange sliced boiled eggs around the pilchards and lightly spread chutney over them.
- Garnish with fresh dhania (coriander) and you are ready to serve.
Notes
- Clean the pilchards carefully to avoid breaking them.
- Add baking soda to the boiling water when cooking eggs to make peeling easier.
- Do not stir the pilchards in the chutney; gently coat them to keep them intact.