Shopping for kosher fish, especially in bustling Cape Town, can feel like navigating a maze. While the biblical instruction — only fish with fins and scales — seems easy, today's global seafood market introduces many complexities. Remembering that shellfish, such as lobster, shrimp, and mussels, are off-limits for those observing kosher is just the tip of the iceberg.
Our modern world brings in additional challenges:
- Mislabelling: Whether intentional (known as “species substitution”) or accidental, incorrect labelling is frequent. Greenfish does not mislabel any of our fresh and frozen fish and if you have any questions, you can contact us to ensure that all our fish is labelled correctly.
- Multiple Names: A single fish might have numerous names, making it confusing for buyers. At Greenfish, we are always willing to answer all your questions if you want to find out the specific species of fish that we offer at our fish shop.
- Cross-Contamination: Kosher fish might share processing lines with non-kosher ones, leading to potential contamination. We have strict guidelines at our fish shop to keep all our shellfish and fresh fish separate from each other especially when processing and storing them.
In light of these, it's essential to approach seafood with caution and knowledge. While global kosher-certifying agencies once provided fish lists, many, like the Orthodox Union, halted this due to the increasing ambiguity in common fish names.
However, there's hope. To assist the kosher-observant in Cape Town, Greenfish offers a curated selection of fresh and frozen fish, ensuring quality, transparency and adherence to kosher-friendly practices. Located in Cape Town, Greenfish offers a variety for all searching for authentic kosher-friendly fish.
Reminder: The Conservative movement might consider swordfish and sturgeon as kosher, but many Orthodox sources do not. Always refer to trusted guidelines, especially when serving strictly observant individuals. Also, remember that at Greenfish we do not move fish and meat together, as per Orthodox traditions.
For convenience, Greenfish presents a Common Kosher Fish list, making your seafood selection easier:
- Albacore (longfin tuna)
- Grouper/ Rockcods
- Norwegian Salmon
- Trout
- Kob
- Cape Salmon
- Tuna
- Yellowtail
- Silverfish
- Black Bream
- Kingklip
- Many species of sardines
Embrace the joy of fish with confidence and always opt for trusted sources like Greenfish in Cape Town when sourcing your kosher-friendly fresh fish.