Fesikh: How to Make It (Safely!)

Fesikh, a traditional Egyptian fermented fish dish enjoyed during Sham El-Nessim, requires careful preparation to ensure safety; discover essential tips and a detailed guide on how to make Fesikh at home.

Fesikh, that fermented fish dish, huh? It’s a unique taste of, um, well, let’s just say it’s an acquired taste particularly popular with Egyptians during the Spring festival, Sham El-Nessim, a celebration steeped in tradition.

So, what’s the deal with Fesikh, and how do you make it? We’re going to explore that further down, so buckle up!

What You Need to Know Before Making Fesikh
How to Make Fesikh
Nutritional Tips When Preparing Fesikh

What You Need to Know Before Making Fesikh

Before diving into the Fesikh-making process, there are some things we think you ought to know, from an expert’s point of view.

Consuming Fesikh can sometimes cause food poisoning so it shouldn’t be prepared in unsanitary conditions that don’t guarantee its safety. Also, it shouldn’t be free from microbes.
Eating Fesikh isn’t always safe, especially for certain groups, for instance those with weak immune systems. Examples being pregnant women, kids, the elderly, or those with chronic illnesses.
Fesikh contains quite a bit of sodium, making it not-so-great for folks with high blood pressure and kidney disease.
Making sure the grey mullet fish, which is used for making Fesikh, is safe is super important when buying it from the store. You can tell by checking if it looks fresh. Like, really look. Check the eyes; they should be bright and shiny. Also, its color should be kinda pink, and the scales should be tight. And, um, smell it! If it smells funky, don’t buy it.

How to Make Fesikh

Usually, Fesikh isn’t made using traditional pickling methods, no way. It’s made by drying and salting only, and it’s treated with salt. So, here are the ingredients and the method for making and preparing Fesikh:

Ingredients

These are the ingredients for a four-person recipe:

4 grey mullet fish.
6 tablespoons of coarse salt.
A large tablespoon of turmeric.
A large tablespoon of ground cumin.
2 tablespoons of hot red pepper flakes.

You can add or subtract according to your preferences, of course.

Preparation

Here are the steps to making Fesikh:

Wash the fish well, then soak it in water with lemon, leaving it for a bit.
Leave it to drain from the water and fluids overnight, making sure its head is facing down so all the blood and gunk can drain out.
Dry the fish super well using special paper towels and put it on a tray, then place the fish on it for a whole night, or 8 hours, turning it over from time to time to ensure that both sides are exposed to the air. Be sure to change the paper towels often to soak up all the fluids.
Keep changing the paper towels continuously, while making sure to keep the head down. Do this every few hours, and keep using those paper towels to dry it.
Mix the coarse salt with the pepper, cumin, and turmeric. Then, salt the fish really well using the mix. Make sure to rub the mixture all over the fish, inside and out. Then, put it in a plastic bag, sealed tightly.
Leave the bag in a dark place, making sure to flip it over every other day, about five times in total. After about a week, the fish is ready.
Clean it up by taking off the head and cleaning out the insides, adding a little lemon. Then, drizzle with olive oil and serve with your favorite sides or salads.

Nutritional Tips When Preparing Fesikh

To make Fesikh healthier, you can reduce the amount of salt you’re using in the recipe. Also, you can try the drying method for a couple of days, soaking it in salt for about 30–40 minutes in the fridge. From there, you can put it out in the air for like 5-6 hours on each side. You might also want to use smaller quantities of it in order to reduce the percentage of salts in it, and take it alongside other healthy foods like salads, and such.

“I was so nervous to try making Fesikh at home, but this guide made it seem less intimidating. The step-by-step instructions were clear, and I felt more confident about the process. Still a bit nervous, but hey, I’m willing to try new things and I know my parents will love it. Wish me luck!”

“Honestly, I’d never even heard of Fesikh before stumbling upon this article, but I’m intrigued! The safety tips are especially helpful, as I’m always cautious about trying new foods. Maybe I’ll give it a shot sometime…maybe.”