Stroganina facts for kids

Stroganina (which means "shavings" in Russian) is a special dish from the northern parts of Siberia. It's made from raw, thinly sliced frozen fish. People around Lake Baikal sometimes call it raskolotka.

This traditional dish usually uses freshwater whitefish like nelma, muksun, chir, and omul. These fish are found in the cold waters of the Siberian Arctic. Sometimes, it's even made with sturgeon. Stroganina is very popular with the native people of Siberia. You can find it in Yakutian, Eskimo, Komi, and Yamal cooking.

How Stroganina is Made

To make stroganina, you need very cold, frozen fish. The best fish for this dish is caught by ice fishing in late fall. It's frozen right away to stop ice crystals from forming in the meat. Sometimes, the frozen fish is dipped in very cold water. This creates a thin layer of ice that helps keep the fish fresh and stops it from drying out. The fish is usually frozen straight, not bent.

Preparing the Fish

Before slicing, the skin is carefully cut off the fish from tail to head. Then, small cuts are made into the flesh. The fish is placed head-down on a hard surface, and the skin is pulled off.

Next, thin slices of fish are cut along the body using a very sharp knife. A special knife called a Yakutian knife is perfect for this. It helps make long, ribbon-like curls of fish.

Serving Stroganina

To keep the stroganina frozen for as long as possible, it's served right away. It's usually placed on cold plates made of non-metal or in ice-cold bowls. People often sprinkle it with salt and black pepper. It's meant to be eaten with your hands while it's still frozen.

Different Kinds of Stroganina

There are a few different ways to enjoy stroganina.

Milk Stroganina

One interesting version is called molochnaya stroganina. This dish is made by adding frozen fresh milk to the regular fish stroganina.

Meat Stroganina

The name stroganina can also be used for a similar dish made from reindeer meat instead of fish.