fermented chukchi foods
Feb. 10th, 2013 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonflower77[by "oil" i mean the liquid blubber of sea animals, not vegetable oil, which was unknown to circumpolar peoples until recent times]
walrus or bearded-seal meat is kept for a few days in a warm place, approximately at room temperature. as soon as it starts to exude a certain odor, it is boiled for a short petiod of time, so that the inside of the chunk remains raw. it is eaten with coltsfoot or saxifrage leaves or simply dipped into oil. it is considered to stimulate one's appetite.
walrus liver is kept in a warm place, at room temperature, until it starts to ferment and to leak juices. it is then eaten with oil or boiled walrus skin and seen as very tasty and good for one's health.
a square chunk of meat is cut out from the tenderloin, saddle or flank part of a walrus together with the blubber and skin. the liver, lungs, kidneys and cleaned intestines are placed onto the meat, which is then folded into a roll, with the skin facing outward, and the edges are sewn together. the roll is stored at a cool temperature. in the fall, just before the temperature falls below zero, the edges are sewn together more tightly to prevent excessive fermentation. the meat is eaten while still frozen. [this is called qopalgyn-kymgyt]
layers of venison are placed into a sack made of ring-seal or reindeer skin, interspersed with similar layers of reindeer bones. the opening is tied tight. the sack is then placed into a ketyran, a type of natural "refrigerator" formed where an islet of snow remains even during the summer; one digs through the snow until one reaches the ground, places the sack into the pit and covers it with snow. the fermentation is over by winter.
fermented fish heads (what is sometimes called "stinkheads" by outsiders): prepared during the first salmon run, in the middle of summer. the turf is removed from a small area of the ground and a pit is dug out in the permafrost. its bottom is lined with willow branches and turf, followed by a layer of salmon bones. fresh salmon heads are placed into the pit, topped by another layer of bones and covered with turf. soil is poured on top and packed somewhat with one's feet. the heads are considered to be prepared and removed from the ground as soon as the small hill sinks, decreases in volume and becomes level with the surrounding turf. usually the fermentation is over by september.
at the end of summer, chunks of venison are stuffed into leather sacks, filling them as much as physically possible, and stored in a dark cool place. the fermentation is over by fall, when the first frosts start, or by the beginning of winter. the meat is boiled or consumed fresh after being cut into paper-thin slices as a sort of delicacy. [this is called vilkitykit]
reindeer feet with hooves, lips and young soft horns (known as panty in russian) are roasted over an open fire, cleaned (care is taken to remove any traces of soot or coals), immersed in cold water for 3-4 days to get rid of the bitter aftertaste, and boiled over a low flame until they soften. once cooled down to room temperature, they are placed into a leather bag together with reindeer kidneys and liver and fresh reindeer blood, after which its opening is tied as tight as possible. the fermentation is over in a month's time. slight variation: fresh reindeer blood is poured into a reindeer stomach that has been cleaned beforehand. boiled reindeer liver, kidneys and ears are added, along with fried lips and hooves (with the hard horn-lined part removed) and, sometimes, some berries and sorrel leaves. the stomach is sewn shut and placed into a ketyran; in winter it is stored in the colder part of a yaranga. the fermented blood is widely used as a taste-enhancer and an essential component in many different dishes. [this is called vilmullymul]
walrus, ring-seal or bearded-seal flippers are wrapped in grass and stored in a sack made of leather or fabric. after a while they are extracted, wrapped in fresh grass and placed into another sack of the same sort, which is sealed (tied) more tightly this time and hung on the ceiling beams of the yaranga. in the summer, when it is warm, the fermentation is over within 3-4 days. one can tell that the flippers are ready when the skin can easily be peeled off, like a glove; if the flippers are kept in the bag too long, they acquire a copper-red color and are no longer edible. the meat is eaten with sun-dried meat and is considered an exquisite delicacy. [this is called viljogyt]
these methods of fermenting meat could have been known to astxil's people, since they also lived in a polar region and their diet consisted of meat, various meat subproducts and fat or blubber, much like that of the chukchi themselves.
the chukchi also collect the few edible plants available in the tundra -
young coltsfoot leaves (the plant itself is known as lemkuk, and its edible leaves as chivjɛt-lämkolgyn) are preserved by soaking them in fresh oil inside a walrus stomach or leather sack, and stored in an enamel-coated basin in a cold place. they are used as a condiment with dried meat or with frozen fish or venison that has been cut into thin, almost transparent slices. sometimes a variety of sorrel that has rounded leaves is added as well.
sorrel leaves (the plant or its leaves are known as rymavyt) are preserved in an identical manner by immersing them in fresh oil, and stored in a cold place in a wooden barrel or an enamel-lined basin. they are eaten with boiled dried meat or with thin slices of frozen meat or fish.
the young leaves of the basket-willow are smashed and ground into a uniform dough-like mass, then mixed with reindeer blood and any berries available at the time. this is called vytrelkyrɛl by the chukchi and "green cereal" or "sour-leaves" by local russians - the actual word is listokvasha, on analogy with prostokvasha, "sour milk".
bark from young basket-willow sprouts (the bark is called jormat) is ripped or smashed off the branches with a hammer in winter or in early spring, when the temperature is still below zero, then crushed into small bits and consumed with frozen fermented blood or frozen reindeer liver. its subtle sweet taste is thought to be very pleasant.
fireweed leaves are collected in the beginning of summer, while they are still soft. they are boiled while being stirred continuously for about an hour, then taken off the fire and allowed to cool down. afterward the boiled leaves are drained until dry (it is important to squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible), put into a wooden barrel and topped with a tight-fitting wooden lid that covers the entire surface of the mass. a heavy stone is set on top and a quantity of water is poured in. the lid has to fit so tight that the water does not seep inside and acts as an airtight seal that prevents the leaves from rotting. before being consumed, the leaves are frozen and eaten with frozen ring-seal liver or oil as a sort of "salad" that is served before the hot course. in the summer, when fireweed is being collected, boiled walrus flippers can be placed into the barrel along with the leaves and kept there until winter; this is thought to make them very tasty and aromatic.
snakeroot plants (leaves, flowers and roots) are collected throughout the summer and eaten fresh, without preserving them for the winter.
the aaron's rod (golden root, rose root) is collected in the beginning or middle of the summer. the plants are fermented inside a wooden barrel; first, clean river water is poured in, then the plants are packed very tight and topped with a round wooden lid. a stone is put on top to provide pressure. once the fermentation is over, the finished product is stored in a cold place. it is consumed in winter after being frozen beforehand.
the leaves of the dwarf pussy-willow are collected in the beginning or middle of the summer they are placed into a wooden barrel with some clean river water, packed tight and topped with a round wooden lid. a stone is put on top to provide pressure. the leaves are eaten with oil or with frozen ring-seal or bearded-seal liver.
wild potatoes (known as pjupud) are washed with clean water and boiled in oil.
various berries are eaten as well. for example, crowberries are consumed with oil and fresh reindeer blood, or made into a sort of "cereal" by crushing them with oil, blood and sorrel leaves. bilberries are mixed with fresh oil and eaten alongside dried and boiled meat. cloudberries are usually eaten after being mixed with oil and reindeer blood; they remain on the plants after the temperature drops below zero and are well-preserved in a frozen state, so they can be collected during the winter.
walrus or bearded-seal meat is kept for a few days in a warm place, approximately at room temperature. as soon as it starts to exude a certain odor, it is boiled for a short petiod of time, so that the inside of the chunk remains raw. it is eaten with coltsfoot or saxifrage leaves or simply dipped into oil. it is considered to stimulate one's appetite.
walrus liver is kept in a warm place, at room temperature, until it starts to ferment and to leak juices. it is then eaten with oil or boiled walrus skin and seen as very tasty and good for one's health.
a square chunk of meat is cut out from the tenderloin, saddle or flank part of a walrus together with the blubber and skin. the liver, lungs, kidneys and cleaned intestines are placed onto the meat, which is then folded into a roll, with the skin facing outward, and the edges are sewn together. the roll is stored at a cool temperature. in the fall, just before the temperature falls below zero, the edges are sewn together more tightly to prevent excessive fermentation. the meat is eaten while still frozen. [this is called qopalgyn-kymgyt]
layers of venison are placed into a sack made of ring-seal or reindeer skin, interspersed with similar layers of reindeer bones. the opening is tied tight. the sack is then placed into a ketyran, a type of natural "refrigerator" formed where an islet of snow remains even during the summer; one digs through the snow until one reaches the ground, places the sack into the pit and covers it with snow. the fermentation is over by winter.
fermented fish heads (what is sometimes called "stinkheads" by outsiders): prepared during the first salmon run, in the middle of summer. the turf is removed from a small area of the ground and a pit is dug out in the permafrost. its bottom is lined with willow branches and turf, followed by a layer of salmon bones. fresh salmon heads are placed into the pit, topped by another layer of bones and covered with turf. soil is poured on top and packed somewhat with one's feet. the heads are considered to be prepared and removed from the ground as soon as the small hill sinks, decreases in volume and becomes level with the surrounding turf. usually the fermentation is over by september.
at the end of summer, chunks of venison are stuffed into leather sacks, filling them as much as physically possible, and stored in a dark cool place. the fermentation is over by fall, when the first frosts start, or by the beginning of winter. the meat is boiled or consumed fresh after being cut into paper-thin slices as a sort of delicacy. [this is called vilkitykit]
reindeer feet with hooves, lips and young soft horns (known as panty in russian) are roasted over an open fire, cleaned (care is taken to remove any traces of soot or coals), immersed in cold water for 3-4 days to get rid of the bitter aftertaste, and boiled over a low flame until they soften. once cooled down to room temperature, they are placed into a leather bag together with reindeer kidneys and liver and fresh reindeer blood, after which its opening is tied as tight as possible. the fermentation is over in a month's time. slight variation: fresh reindeer blood is poured into a reindeer stomach that has been cleaned beforehand. boiled reindeer liver, kidneys and ears are added, along with fried lips and hooves (with the hard horn-lined part removed) and, sometimes, some berries and sorrel leaves. the stomach is sewn shut and placed into a ketyran; in winter it is stored in the colder part of a yaranga. the fermented blood is widely used as a taste-enhancer and an essential component in many different dishes. [this is called vilmullymul]
walrus, ring-seal or bearded-seal flippers are wrapped in grass and stored in a sack made of leather or fabric. after a while they are extracted, wrapped in fresh grass and placed into another sack of the same sort, which is sealed (tied) more tightly this time and hung on the ceiling beams of the yaranga. in the summer, when it is warm, the fermentation is over within 3-4 days. one can tell that the flippers are ready when the skin can easily be peeled off, like a glove; if the flippers are kept in the bag too long, they acquire a copper-red color and are no longer edible. the meat is eaten with sun-dried meat and is considered an exquisite delicacy. [this is called viljogyt]
these methods of fermenting meat could have been known to astxil's people, since they also lived in a polar region and their diet consisted of meat, various meat subproducts and fat or blubber, much like that of the chukchi themselves.
the chukchi also collect the few edible plants available in the tundra -
young coltsfoot leaves (the plant itself is known as lemkuk, and its edible leaves as chivjɛt-lämkolgyn) are preserved by soaking them in fresh oil inside a walrus stomach or leather sack, and stored in an enamel-coated basin in a cold place. they are used as a condiment with dried meat or with frozen fish or venison that has been cut into thin, almost transparent slices. sometimes a variety of sorrel that has rounded leaves is added as well.
sorrel leaves (the plant or its leaves are known as rymavyt) are preserved in an identical manner by immersing them in fresh oil, and stored in a cold place in a wooden barrel or an enamel-lined basin. they are eaten with boiled dried meat or with thin slices of frozen meat or fish.
the young leaves of the basket-willow are smashed and ground into a uniform dough-like mass, then mixed with reindeer blood and any berries available at the time. this is called vytrelkyrɛl by the chukchi and "green cereal" or "sour-leaves" by local russians - the actual word is listokvasha, on analogy with prostokvasha, "sour milk".
bark from young basket-willow sprouts (the bark is called jormat) is ripped or smashed off the branches with a hammer in winter or in early spring, when the temperature is still below zero, then crushed into small bits and consumed with frozen fermented blood or frozen reindeer liver. its subtle sweet taste is thought to be very pleasant.
fireweed leaves are collected in the beginning of summer, while they are still soft. they are boiled while being stirred continuously for about an hour, then taken off the fire and allowed to cool down. afterward the boiled leaves are drained until dry (it is important to squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible), put into a wooden barrel and topped with a tight-fitting wooden lid that covers the entire surface of the mass. a heavy stone is set on top and a quantity of water is poured in. the lid has to fit so tight that the water does not seep inside and acts as an airtight seal that prevents the leaves from rotting. before being consumed, the leaves are frozen and eaten with frozen ring-seal liver or oil as a sort of "salad" that is served before the hot course. in the summer, when fireweed is being collected, boiled walrus flippers can be placed into the barrel along with the leaves and kept there until winter; this is thought to make them very tasty and aromatic.
snakeroot plants (leaves, flowers and roots) are collected throughout the summer and eaten fresh, without preserving them for the winter.
the aaron's rod (golden root, rose root) is collected in the beginning or middle of the summer. the plants are fermented inside a wooden barrel; first, clean river water is poured in, then the plants are packed very tight and topped with a round wooden lid. a stone is put on top to provide pressure. once the fermentation is over, the finished product is stored in a cold place. it is consumed in winter after being frozen beforehand.
the leaves of the dwarf pussy-willow are collected in the beginning or middle of the summer they are placed into a wooden barrel with some clean river water, packed tight and topped with a round wooden lid. a stone is put on top to provide pressure. the leaves are eaten with oil or with frozen ring-seal or bearded-seal liver.
wild potatoes (known as pjupud) are washed with clean water and boiled in oil.
various berries are eaten as well. for example, crowberries are consumed with oil and fresh reindeer blood, or made into a sort of "cereal" by crushing them with oil, blood and sorrel leaves. bilberries are mixed with fresh oil and eaten alongside dried and boiled meat. cloudberries are usually eaten after being mixed with oil and reindeer blood; they remain on the plants after the temperature drops below zero and are well-preserved in a frozen state, so they can be collected during the winter.