In celebration of National Braai Day

On Heritage Day, 24th September, South Africans across the spectrum celebrate our culture and the diversity of our beliefs and traditions. And so National Braai Day was born – a day that unites our people when we gather with friends and family around a fire and cook a delicious meal together.

With The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa’s unique location on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, when we think about National Braai Day, it simply has to be a fish braai! Our Executive Chef Christo Pretorius is not only an avid fisherman himself, but was also crowned a WWF-SASSI (South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative) Trailblazer at the annual SASSI Seafood Circle Awards earlier this year. This followed an extensive assessment of our Azure restaurant and our approach to implementing, supporting, and promoting sustainable seafood practices.

So if you’re looking for a braai with a difference, then make sure to try this delicious fish braai recipe to enjoy with your friends and family.

To serve six people.

Ingredients:

• 1 hake, fresh and whole
• 10ml sea salt
• 10ml black pepper
• 125ml tamarind and lime basting sauce
• 2 limes
• 30ml olive oil

Method

1. Remove the scales and guts of the whole hake. Wash the fish under cold running water to remove the blood and let it drain on kitchen paper.
2. Cut down the backbone to butterfly the fish but keeping the fish whole.
3. Ensure the hake is dry and lightly rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the fish to the hot grill, and place skin-side down over the prepared coals.
5. Baste with basting sauce while the fish is cooking skin-side down.
6. Once the skin has a good crisp, turn the fish onto the flesh side and keep on the fire until cooked. Add as much basting sauce as you wish during the cooking process.
7. Squeeze some lime juice over the flesh once it is cooked and use the tamarind and lime basting as a sauce to enjoy with your meal.

Tamarind and lime sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 limes, juice only
• 60ml tamarind paste
• 6 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 chillies, red, deseeded and finely chopped

Method

1. Mix the lime juice and tamarind paste together in a mixing bowl.
2. Add some water to the mixture until you are happy with the sauce’s consistency.
3. Add the spring onion and chillies and mix together.
4. Transfer to a clean jar or container and it can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.

Thai cucumber and pineapple salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 2cm x 2cm
• 1 cucumber, peeled into ribbons
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 20g coriander chopped
• 10g mint chopped
• 15ml fish sauces
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 5ml caster sugar
• 1 chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 30g cashew nuts, toasted and chopped

Method

1. Mix the pineapple, cucumber, spring onion and herbs together in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl mix the fish sauce, lime, sugar and chilli until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add the dressing to the pineapple mixture and toss together.
4. Garnish with toasted cashew nuts and coriander leaves.

For a complete Braai, feast try our other recipes like homemade boerewors, roosterbrood and spare ribs!