Fish Sukuti Image Used Under Creative Commons License From Pinterest.com
Citizens, Sukuti is actually the Nepali word for any form of dry meat (whether made as jerky or deep-fried). Sukuti is typically served with tomato achaar, which is a condiment made from spiced tomatoes and other ingredients – the recipe for achaar has been previously posted on TFD here.
Nepali/Nepalese cuisine comprises a variety of cuisines based upon ethnicity, soil and climate relating to Nepal’s cultural diversity and geography. Dal-bhat-tarkari (Nepali: दाल भात तरकारी) is eaten throughout Nepal. Dal is a soup made of lentils and spices, served over boiled grain, bhat—usually rice but sometimes another grain – and a vegetable curry, tarkari.
Condiments are usually small amounts of spicy pickle (achaar, अचार) which can be fresh or fermented, (mainly of dried spinach called as ‘gundruk ko achar’) and radish known as ‘mula ko achar’, and of which there are a considerable number of varieties.
Other accompaniments may be sliced lemon (nibuwa) or lime (kagati) with fresh green chilli (hariyo khursani) and a fried papad ( thin, crisp disc-shaped food ). Dhindo (ढिंडो) is a traditional food of Nepal.
Much of the cuisine is variation on Asian themes.
Momos are a Nepalese-style dumpling filled with minced meat in a flour dough, given different shapes and then cooked by steaming. It is one of the most popular foods in Nepal (as well as its homeland in Tibet, of course!) and the regions of Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in India where ethnic Nepalese have their presence. Other foods have hybrid Tibetan and Indian Influence.
Momo were originally filled with buffalo meat but now also with goat or chicken, as well as vegetarian preparations. Special foods such as sel roti, finni roti and patre are eaten during festivals such as Tihar. Sel roti is a traditional Nepali homemade ring-shaped rice bread which is sweet to the taste.
Chow mein is a Nepali favorite in modern times based on Chinese-style stir fried noodles. It is one of the most beloved everyday staple lunch in Nepali/Nepalese household today, believe it or not!
In this unusual sukuti recipe, trout from crystal-clear Nepali rivers high in the Himalayas are treated to a delicious marination in a combination of Nepalese, Indian and Chinese spices and then deep-fried to succulent goodness.
The delectable sauce that douses the fish combines sweet and heat with the complexity I have come to love in Nepalese dishes – try this fantastic recipe and see for yourselves, Citizens! 🙂
I don’t normally care for fish, but this Sukuti recipe made even me a piscine acolyte!
2 lbs. trout fillets (traditional choice), or your preferred type of fish fillets, cut into 1-inch slices
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon chili paste with black beans (preferred) or standard Chinese chili paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
5 dried red chilies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup scallions, cut into 1-in length
4 tablespoons cooking oil
Oil for deep frying
Salt and Pepper
Marinade:
1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon freshly ground timur (Sichuan pepper)
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Chinese chili paste with black beans (preferred) or regular chili paste
1 ½ tablespoons garlic paste
1 ½ tablespoons ginger paste
¼ teaspoon asafetida
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt and Pepper
Instructions
In a blender, process all marinade ingredients into a smooth paste. In a large bowl, pour the marinade over the fish slices. Mix well, cover, and let marinate for at least four hours. After marinating, drain the marinade and pat-dry the fish pieces.
Heat frying oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Dip fish pieces into oil and fry until crispy. Reserve fried fish slices in a large plate.
In a blender, process chopped onion, garlic, ginger, chili paste, soy sauce, turmeric, and honey into a smooth paste.
In a non-stick sauté pan, heat four tablespoons of oil over high heat. Sauté whole red chilies and cumin seeds till dark. Add spice paste, salt and pepper; fry until oil starts to separate from the paste.
Transfer the fish slices into the spice mixture and gently stir fry for 5-8 minutes, or until the slices are fully coated with spices. Add chopped scallions and stir for a minute or so. Serve with rice, accompanied with tomato achaar.
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