Chukotka cuisine: a paradise for foodies and thrill-seekers

One of the most delicious dishes that you can try in Chukotka is venison with lingonberries. Tender meat with a sweet-sour berry sauce is sure to captivate anyone's palate. The recipe is quite simple: venison is marinated in a lingonberry puree with spices, then grilled. The dish is presented with a rich lingonberry sauce. You can find it on the menu of nearly any restaurant in Anadyr, and in many homes throughout the region.

Another delicacy is salmon heads. In the past, they were left in special pits under a layer of turf until the meat fermented. Today, the recipe has evolved — the heads are simply smoked.

The finished dish is eaten with beer, following the principle of 'eat anything that can be chewed.' The meat in the fish head is softer than in other parts, and the multitude of bones and cartilage makes it an excellent appetizer. Interestingly, even though salmon is found all over the Far East, smoked heads are not cooked everywhere.

If you are offered to roast 'Khariton' in Chukotka — don't be alarmed, they are cooking one of the tastiest local fish, grayling. It is easily recognizable by its prominent dorsal fin and attractive marking.

For Chukchi and Eskimos, fermented meat (kopal-hen) is not just a delicacy, but also the sole source of vitamin C in the winter tundra. The most common type of kopalhen is made from walrus and seal, but there are also versions made from deer and whale. The recipe for this delicacy is not for those with a weak stomach. The meat is packed into a kymgyt — a sort of roll made from skins — and left in the glacier for several months. The meat ferments, developing a rather strong smell and taste. Indeed, besides beneficial substances, the treat is also rich in ptomaine. Chukchi and Eskimos are used to such food, but an unprepared individual can suffer severe poisoning from overindulging in kopalhen.

Mantak is whale skin and lard, a highly caloric product packed with vitamins C and D. Mantak is eaten raw, smoked, or frozen. The skin itself is easy to chew, but the lard is quite sticky. Hence, mantak is sliced into small pieces — approximately 0.5 cm in width and 2 cm in length. Unlike other traditional Chukchi dishes, mantak has a unique yet pleasant taste and is popular among Europeans. However, you can't purchase this delicacy — only indigenous people have the right to hunt whales. But don't worry — if you happen to be in Chukotka, you'll surely be offered some.

One of the main delicacies of the Far East. It's hard to believe, but in Chukotka, you can catch it even during winter! The cephalothorax of an adult can reach up to 25 cm in diameter with a leg span extending to 150 cm.

Stroganina is a dish typical for the northern regions of Russia. It's most commonly made from fish and foal meat. In Chukotka, stroganina made from venison is also widespread. The preparation method is straightforward — the meat is thinly sliced and served with a dressing made of water, vinegar, salt and pepper. It's eaten with hands, dipping it in the seasoning.

Upa, or sea potato, is not a plant at all, but an animal belonging to the class of ascidians. To catch upa, half-metre-deep holes are drilled in the ice, into which a special tool is lowered to comb through the seabed. Upa tastes like a cross between seaweed and squid. It's consumed raw or used as an ingredient in salads.