Che from zander or snakehead fish

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g fish fillet(s) (preferably zander or snakehead fish or other fish species)
• 30 ml vinegar essence (70%)
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 carrot(s)
• ½ bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 50 ml vegetable oil
• chili
• black pepper
• Salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 35 minutes

popular cold Korean appetizer from Russia and Central Asia

First, remove any remaining bones from the fish fillets, then cut into thin, approximately one-and-a-half-centimeter-long strips. Pour the vinegar essence over the fish fillets in a glass, massage in a little, and let it steep for at least 30 minutes. The final acidity of the fish fillet is determined by the amount of vinegar used. Even if you want the dish to have a distinct vinegar flavor, be careful with the amount of concentrate! Regular household vinegar, by the way, produces a completely different result. In the meantime, cut the onion into as fine half rings as possible and the carrot into thin strips. Drain the fish cubes and squeeze them under cold running water. When you taste them, you’ll immediately know whether you’ve used too little or—as is usually the case—too much vinegar essence. In a bowl, layer the fish, onion rings, chopped coriander, and finally the carrot sticks. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and chili peppers, depending on your desired spiciness. Heat the fat in a pan until it starts to smoke. Slowly and carefully pour the oil over the peppercorns and chili peppers and into the fish fillet. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the spices to develop. Then mix everything together and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. Season with salt to taste. There are countless variations of che, and the timing of adding the hot oil is a matter of personal preference. So there are plenty of opportunities for experimentation.