Curried Pickled Fish, Old Traditional

Ingredients

8 lbs fish , firm-fleshed, weighed after filleting and frying (see instructions)
8 onions , very large, sliced thinly
oil (for frying, or use lard, which is nicer)
4 tablespoons curry powder (use good quality)
8 cups vinegar (do not use spirit vinegar!)
1/2 cup sugar
2 -3 hot peppers , fresh, sliced open (optional)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon white peppercorns (or you can use black)
4 -6 tablespoons apricot preserves (jam)
Directions:

1
First fry the fish in a LARGE pan or skillet in the oil or lard, without seasoning. Remove fish to cool, but leave the pan on the stove.
2
Fry the onions, stirring, in the same pan, without browning them. Add more oil/butter/lard if necessary. Remove onions with a slotted spoon to a bowl to cool.
3
Add all the remaining ingredients. Decide how hot you'd like it: those hot peppers, or chillies, went into the mixture seeds and all! Leave them out if you like.
4
Mix well and boil furiously for 6 minutes.
5
Allow the mixture to cool.
6
Using a deep dish OR clean canning jars, put some of the liquid in the bottom.
7
Place a layer of fried fish on the sauce, and cover with more sauce and a layer of onions.
8
Repeat layers until used up, trying to finish with a layer of onions.
9
Cover and leave in fridge for 2 - 3 days before tasting. If in jars, close the jars tightly.
10
Believe me -- in days of old this fish was not refrigerated. It can be kept for a long, long time, and therefore travels well! It is DELICIOUS, eaten cold with bread and sweet, milky tea!
11
Some cooks added lemon or orange leaves to the final layering for a delicate extra flavour.

I love pickled fish Dare, thanks for sharing. xx