Are we ready for fessiekh?

Obviously, food is a unique cultural experience. I like the exploration and even the challenges of foreign cuisine. In Sudan we will eat rice and beans…not too adventurous. Other times we will have beans and rice. Sometimes we might just get beans and other days just rice. Sorghum is a crop that acts much like wheat flour and can be made into bread. I’m sure there are many vegetables and dishes that will surprise me and even challenge my adventurous palate.

One of those foods will be fessiekh. I’m not real clear how to say it but I understand you can smell it 100 yards from the house that’s making it. It is the Sudanese ketchup. It’s a fish sauce, a fermented fishery product. It is used as both a staple food and a condiment in food preparation. It has been reported that fessiekh originated from Egypt where it is used in the preparation of a special meal during Easter. Fessiekh is minced and boiled with vegetables (e.g. tomatoes and spices) to prepare a sauce that is eaten with bread. Fessiekh may also be eaten raw after the addition of vinegar and spices.