Traditional fish and chips is one of SA’s best-loved street foods! Whether it’s strolling along a breezy wharf munching on a small portion wrapped in newspaper, or stopping at your local corner shop for a quick dinner on the way home from work, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this delicious treat. Here, we show you how to prep your own at home.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
For the tartare sauce
1½ cups mayonnaise
2 gherkins, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
For the chilli salt
⅓  cup sea salt flakes
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
For the chips
6 potatoes, cut into wedges
For the fish
1½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
½ tbsp paprika
1 cup beer
1 egg
4 hake fillets, cut into strips

METHOD
For the tartare sauce
1. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate.
For the chilli salt
1. Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
For the chips
1. Heat enough oil to deep-fry in a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the wedges to the pot and deep-fry until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
4. Season with the chilli salt.
For the fish
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together.
2. Whisk the beer and egg together and then add it to the dry ingredients.
3. Dip the hake fillets into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off.
4. Working in batches, deep-fry the fish for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

The gatsby is another South African street food favourite. We made ours with calamari for a fun seafood twist.