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Sanyakhuna
Spiced fish jelly
सन्याखुना (sanyakhuna): Newari spiced fish jelly set in the cold and eaten in winter
Sanyakhuna is takha's fishy cousin, a Newari winter delicacy from the Kathmandu Valley made by cooking small fish with ginger, garlic, chilli and timur in a rich stock and leaving it to set into a cool, savoury jelly. In old Newar kitchens the set came from buffalo skin simmered in the stock; this home version uses fish heads and frames, which give flavour and a soft set, and a little agar so it sets reliably in the fridge. Squares are cut and eaten cold with beaten rice and a fiery achar during the cold months, especially around Yomari Punhi. The typical failure is a cloudy, bitter stock from boiling the fish too hard or too long; fish bones need only 30 minutes. Keep it in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Chef's tip: use small whole fried fish such as sprats or small trout fillets for the pieces in the jelly, as they hold their shape.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stock
- 1 ¾ lb white fish heads and frames (gills removed)rinsed
- 6 ¼ cups cold water
- 5 cm piece fresh gingersliced
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
For the fish and set
- 14 oz trout fillets or small whole cleaned fish such as spratscut into 4 cm pieces
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 /2 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground
- 2 tsp agar powder
- 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds
To serve
- 2 spring onions (optional)sliced
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What you'll need
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ lb white fish heads and frames (gills removed) in a pot with 6 ¼ cups cold water, 5 cm piece fresh ginger, 6 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves and ¾ tsp salt. Bring slowly to a simmer, skim, and cook at a gentle bubble for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Strain the stock through a fine sieve lined with muslin; you need 900 ml.
Step 3: Rub 14 oz trout fillets or small whole cleaned fish such as sprats with 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder and the remaining ¾ tsp salt.
Step 4: Heat 2 ¾ tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the fish for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and the flesh is opaque and flakes. Drain on paper.
8 minStep 5: Whisk 2 tsp agar powder, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 /2 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground into the cold strained stock, then bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking, until the agar dissolves completely.
5 minStep 6: Heat the remaining 1 ¼ tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until it smokes, fry 2 dried red chillies and 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds for 20–30 seconds until dark, and pour into the stock.
2 minStep 7: Lay the fried fish in a shallow dish and pour the hot stock over. Cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until set.
Step 8: Cut into squares, scatter with 2 spring onions and serve cold with beaten rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sanyakhuna take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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