stroganina — Sakha, Russia

Stroganina is a raw fish dish from the Arctic regions of Siberia, prepared from a whole fish frozen solid, shaved into long, thin curls with a sharp knife just before eating. Its name comes from a Russian word meaning shavings. Reports of this dish come from indigenous peoples across Arctic Siberia, including the Sakha (Yakut) Republic, where extreme winter cold allows fish to be frozen and kept outdoors for long periods. Around Lake Baikal, a closely related dish goes by the name raskolotka. To prepare it, a whole fish, often a whitefish species such as muksun, nelma or omul, is frozen hard immediately after being caught. Just before serving, it is shaved with a long, sharp knife into thin curling strips that lift off the frozen flesh in one motion. The curls are arranged on a chilled plate and served at once, before they have any chance to thaw. Reports describe this fish eaten plain, dipped only into a mix of coarse salt and black pepper, distinguishing it from other raw or cured fish preparations that use vinegar, oil or citrus. Keeping the fish frozen until the moment it reaches the plate, and eating it within minutes of shaving, is described as central to the dish.