Fermented fish

Fermented fish is an Eskimo food that is eaten raw and frozen. It is a staple part of the diet in many Yup'ik communities of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Preparation

Fermented fish is prepared by first digging a hole about two feet in the ground. The preparer places a freshly caught fish in the hole, covers it with earth, and lets it stay buried for a couple weeks to a month or longer. After the fish reaches a desired level of fermentation, the preparer unearths it and immediately freezes it until someone is ready to eat it. Fermented fish tastes best raw and frozen.

See also

• Rakfisk - A fermented fish dish traditionally eaten around Christmas in Norway.
• Surströmming - A Swedish delicacy consisting of fermented Baltic herring.
• Tepa - Fermented salmon heads of the Yup'ik people
• Fesikh - Fermented mullet eaten in Egypt at Sham el-Nessim
• Garum - A fermented fish sauce and essential flavour in Ancient Roman cooking.
• Kusaya - A Japanese style salted-dried and fermented fish.
• Hongeohoe - A fermented fish dish from Korea.
• Hákarl - Fermented shark, a dish from Iceland.
• Food fermentation