Stroganina is the Russian version of sashimi. It is prepared with a whole fish that is frozen raw after which it is skinned and cut with a sharp knife into incredibly thin slices. The pieces naturally curl, and they should be served immediately after slicing.
Stroganina originates from the Russian Arctic, and it is traditionally prepared with whitefish such as omul, nelma, or muksun. The name of the dish stems from the word strogat, meaning to shave. Stroganina is traditionally paired with vodka and comes served on ice, usually accompanied by a combination of salt and pepper.
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Ukha is a rustic Russian soup consisting of a broth filled with herbs, seasonings, root vegetables, and fish such as salmon, cod, perch, and trout. A bit of vodka is often added into the pot while the soup is simmering. Although it originated as a simple broth, it evolved into an elaborate dish during the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was served in Russian courts.
Apparently, the soup is so good that it was even a favorite of Ivan the Terrible.
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Baliq is a popular Azerbaijani kebab consisting of any firm, rich fish that is marinated, skewered, and grilled. In Azerbaijan, sturgeon from the Caspian Sea is the most common choice for baliq. The fish is divided into chunks, which are then typically marinated in a combination of chopped dill, lemon juice, and salt.
This type of kebab is often served with sliced onions and tomatoes, and it is recommended to accompany it with lemon wedges on the side.
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Baliq levengi is a traditional fish dish originating from Azerbaijan. The dish is usually made with a combination of fish, onions, walnuts, dried fruit such as raisins, butter, salt, and pepper. First, the fish is rubbed with salt and the cavity is stuffed with a mixture of ground walnuts, grated onions, raisins, butter, salt, and pepper.
The cavity is sewn shut or skewered to keep it intact, and the fish is then baked in the oven until fully cooked. Once done, baliq levengi is presented on a platter and it’s often garnished with pomegranate seeds and onions rings. It’s recommended to serve the dish with rice pilaf on the side.
Tsotskhali is a traditional fish dish originating from Georgia. The dish is usually made with a trout, garlic, parsley, celery, yogurt, salt, and black pepper. The trout is cleaned, washed, cut into pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, and boiled in water until tender.
It's then removed from the broth, sprinkled with cold water, and left to cool. The parsley and celery are chopped and mashed into a purée, while the garlic is minced. The herbs and garlic are mixed with yogurt, and the sauce is then poured over the pieces of fish before tsotskhali is ready to be enjoyed.
Sugudai is a Russian fish dish that originates from Siberia. It consists of pieces of raw fish such as muksun, cisco, or nelma that are cut into larger chunks and are then seasoned and topped with spring onions, lemon juice, butter, or optionally vinegar, basil, dill, as well as various sauces.
In its original form, sugudai was a simple meal that only combined locally available raw fish and onions. Nowadays, this classic Siberian dish is gaining more popularity, and it is slowly becoming a staple in Russian fish bars.
MOST ICONIC Sugudai
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Tevzis buglama is a traditional stew originating from Georgia. This type of buglama stew is made with salmon, onions, oil, lemon, tomatoes, bay leaves, coriander, salt, and pepper. A deep saucepan is layered with oil, seasoned pieces of salmon, coriander, onions, lemon slices, and bay leaves.
Oil is drizzled over the layered ingredients, and it's topped with sliced tomatoes. Another layer of oil goes on top along with salt and pepper, and the pot is then covered and simmered until the fish is fully cooked and tevzis buglama is ready to be enjoyed.
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