Do you eat this too in your country?

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Yeah, it exists in many countries( Canada included even though here it is not that common). The only difference is the type of fish they use. In the East it's cooked with salt water fish like anchovy. In Canada I've seen made using freshwater smelt.

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RemarkableCricket539@reddit

Wait. We actually do up in Greenland. We call them Ammassat and are some kind of wild, tiny salmon.

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Fast_potato_indeed@reddit

Greenland????

I mean I understand Portugal has been trying to sneak in to Balkans and some Balkanis are cheerily supporting it 😈, but Greenland?

What’s next, Falkland Islands are also part of Balkans? 😂

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ClassroomStrict912@reddit

Looks like something that is found in every Finnish marketplace in the summer. No beer because you need a special license for that though 😁. We call them ”muikku”

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tuntematonmina@reddit

Greetings from Finland! We also have our version of this, simply called friend vendance. Vendance is small fish catched mainly from our big lakes, its related to what americans call whitefish or common whitefish.

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No_Calligrapher1190@reddit

MBGA Make Balkans Great Again next is Cuba.

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drvobradi@reddit

I thought that we had agreed that Balkan is state of mind, not a place. At least we should give credit to Greenlanders for telling Trump to fuck off, kind of Balkan move.

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RemarkableCricket539@reddit

I think generally small fish with some kind of batter is quite universal 😂

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Final-Nebula-7049@reddit

The other day we cooked two versions, because you know, Turkish things

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canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

What's the non-fried version?

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FrigopieMessi@reddit

Let me kidnap the post and suggest one of the variations that is done in Spain and that is utterly delicious and very easy to do.

Boquerones en vinagre (in vinegar)

Recipe can be very easily found in internet, its super easy

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robininscarf@reddit

Wow, we don't have this. At least, not for hamsi. Thank you.

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Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

really? How did you missed it?

It's a good meze for raki/ouzo in Greece

https://www.kopiaste.org/2008/05/marinated-anchovies/

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funstufffff@reddit

We do have this, "Sirke limonlu hamsi marin" maybe u/robininscarf hasn't bumped in to it yet. Goes great with rakı as suggested )) We eat this around İzmir as a meze and I've had it in a restourant in Cunda island as well. It's either a Greek or a Spanish recipe.

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robininscarf@reddit

I actually meant eastern Black Sea region there, yet you're right I always thought bigger fishes were used for this recipe and it was more of an Mediterrenean-Aegean thing. Turns out I was wrong in both cases, someone in the other comments section mentioned having this in Gümüşhane too. I studied in İzmir for years, but I was already a vegeterian and I probably didn't pay attention to these types of dishes.

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Easy_Recording_7584@reddit

we have something very similar but with sea bass instead of anchovies

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Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

I had to look it up and it seems like it is a thing in Greece as well, even though I have never heard of it.

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robininscarf@reddit

This kinda dishes are more Aegean Mediterrenean, or my family and the restaurants in my hometown were really conservative. We don't make Lakerda with Hamsi. It's usually with fishes like toric, sarda sarda etc.

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PotentialBat34@reddit

We do have some version of this. I remember eating hamsi cooked very slowly by my best friend's now deceased grandfather, and they were from Gümüşhane. Best hamsi I ever had.

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robininscarf@reddit

We cook it with a lot of lemons and onions, with little bit of water. Do you think it could be it?

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PotentialBat34@reddit

I think he used to do it with a lot of vinegar and lemon juice. It was a process of hours, if not days though. May he rest in peace.

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robininscarf@reddit

May he rest in peace. I used to think this was more of an Aegean, Mediterrenean type of dish but I guess I was wrong. I didn't even know there was a variety with hamsi, let alone it being more popular with hamsi.

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FrigopieMessi@reddit

Thats it. It takes minimum a day.

Im very happy to see you all my Mediterranean brothers sharing similar cuisines and living experiences.

We are all truly brothers, even if we are not balkanic.

People wants us to be western europeans when what we truly are is mediterraneans.

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Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

It reminds me the marinates anchovies in Greece.

https://www.kopiaste.org/2008/05/marinated-anchovies/

Good for meze (tapas in Spain) :)

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FrigopieMessi@reddit

Its basically the same.

Its very beautiful for me to see all my mediterranean brothers sharing similar cuisines. We are truly all brothers with very very similar living experiences. The mediterranean is our home.

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puzzledpanther@reddit

We do that in Greece do and a lot of people love it compared to the fried version.

I think it's disgusting.

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FrigopieMessi@reddit

Wow, is highly highly appreciated in Spain and better considered than their fried counterparts.

For me its spectacular

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Elgecko123@reddit

This version is highly appreciated in Greece as well.. obviously not everyone likes it but it’s popular and many love it

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puzzledpanther@reddit

I'm not a particular fan of non-balsamic vinegar so it's not for me :)

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pow3llmorgan@reddit

We had them on Menorca and they looked exactly like the OP picture. These look awesome!

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Anna_akademika@reddit

They also have like a fried version, it's very good!

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Putrid_Speed_5138@reddit

This seems like a good side for raki.

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canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

Very nice, Spanish food is goat.

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robininscarf@reddit

Hey, do you guys have this? We call this içli tava or hamsi pilav, I would love to hear if you guys have this too. If you have, what do you guys call this? (I can't eat this since I am a vegetarian but I grew up with this.)

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Mestintrela@reddit

As far I know we have nothing similar to this in Greece.

But I googled it and apparently there is an obscure Pontic recipe for this. Called hampsopilafo. https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/to-ekpliktiko-champsopilafo-gayros-me-its-pilaf-sto-foyrno/131071/

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robininscarf@reddit

Ahh, perfect. I am glad the culture we shared with our old Anatolian Pontic Greek neighbours is still in records, somewhere. Thank you.

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Final-Nebula-7049@reddit

Grilled, pan fried, oven rolled. Unnecessary amounts of variation but they have slight differences

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dulbirakan@reddit

Don't forget served with rice.

https://yemek.com/tarif/hamsili-pilav/

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PoorDoddle@reddit

One dish I refuse to eat despite being Turkish

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AdmiralQED@reddit

Hamsi koydum tavaya, basladi oynamaya!

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dulbirakan@reddit

In Turkey there is also a pilav made with it.

https://yemek.com/tarif/hamsili-pilav/

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rical8@reddit

we also have 2 versions (greek) , fried + in the oven.

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Commercial_Leek6987@reddit

There is soup and dessert too

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Lanwel@reddit

There is even one recipe with rice.

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fekanix@reddit

Hamsi baklava and hamsi turşusu.

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chillbill1@reddit

Yesss with lemon and garlic

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snakelair88@reddit

Can’t wait to devour a plate once it’s warms up a bit

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Fuzzy_Alg@reddit

How strange, we eat when the weather gets cold in Turkey. When the weather is not cold, they are not fatty and tasty enough. There is even a hunting ban between April 1 and September 1. Maybe it's not about weather but fish migration cycle?

Just checked it and yes they are migrating between north and south Black Sea. They migrate south in winter and north in summer.

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canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

Interesting fact. Here its also a summer food because it usually goes along cold beer.

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fk_censors@reddit

The beer thing in the Balkans (except for the parts that were previously ruled by Austrians) seems like a modern marketing plot, for global conglomerates to sell their shitty products. Beer goes with this, a cold beer goes with the soccer game, meet your friends for a beer, etc. These lands were producing wine and yet people have been convinced by some stupid commercials to switch to foreign mass produced beer, in a single generation. Sad.

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canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

Bro wine doesnt go well in 45C summers.

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NeaTitiDeLaCroitorie@reddit

And you serve huge portions! God bless you! Can`t wait to go to Varna this summer for a cold Zagorka retro and a portion of tsatsa.

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waudmasterwaudi@reddit

Is it not zsatsata?

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abhora_ratio@reddit

I hear you, brother! 🍻

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Funny-Ingenuity-7179@reddit

Oh shit I need to try that. I never eat hamsi with a cold beer.
God I miss my country

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immacomment-here-now@reddit

I knew I’d see you too in the top, Bulgaria.

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hitteroff@reddit

:))yess

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Carbastan24@reddit

We eat them in the summer cause it's associated with the seaside. People go to the seaside in the summer.

I like them cold and salty with a beer. Damn I can't wait now

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NeaTitiDeLaCroitorie@reddit

are you talking about the hamsi or cacea? here we are often served with cacea branded as hamsigiller

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

In Bulgaria it's almost always cacea. We call it Tsatsa, and hamsi is hamsya.

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robininscarf@reddit

Woww, I'll keep tsatsa in my mind.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Maybe it's Çaça for you but maybe it's a thing only in Black Sea coast regions of Turkey, as it has much more varieties in Mediterranean.
Apparently we use similar word for this little fishes with you and Romanians.

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robininscarf@reddit

Wow, I don't remember it much on our table but it seems Aegeans love it and call it as Papalina too. Thank you, I suck at differentiating fishes. Or animals. Or plants... It's good to know we share these words, though. It can come handy, one day.

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zhbidelj@reddit

Papaline is used in south Croatia for this type of fish. Or girice

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Apperantly it's Papalina in Greece also. But it's not popular. Animals plant varieties and fishes are hard. I usually use changing languages in Wikipedia as translators also doesn't help.

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robininscarf@reddit

Yes, the changes between pages with different languages can be a lot too. It takes great effort to go after knowledge like this. Most of the time I just use it in En and be done with it. Checking in other langauages is something I do quite rarely.

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Fuzzy_Alg@reddit

I wrote about anchovies, I didn't know there was a fish called cecea (çaça in turkish i quess). It looks pretty similar, Maybe I've eaten it knowing as hamsi before without realizing it. Some fishing stalls sell similar fish under the name of the other...

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NeaTitiDeLaCroitorie@reddit

I did not want to call it çaça, because in Romanian, if you do not put the accent, caca means something totally different. I wanted to avoid this.

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Justalittlepatience3@reddit

Does it mean female pimp? Also is the fish cacea called sprat in English?

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NeaTitiDeLaCroitorie@reddit

Caca means poop in Romanian, And yes, the cacea is sprat, and hamsie is anchovy.

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robininscarf@reddit

OMG, kaka is poop in Turkish too. Two unrelated words I've learned in same day, this is hilarious.

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thelordchonky@reddit

It's the same in Spanish too lmao

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Kaamos_666@reddit

Kaka is poop in so many countries. It’s a very common word for different places of the world.

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robininscarf@reddit

Thank you, it's good to keep in mind. You'll never know when you'll be close to shitting your pants, lol.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

çaça is more like tsatsa. Apperantly it's Țața in Romanian.
I found that when I searched words with ts in Romanian, and it gave me Țiți. I'll get those too. :D Bulgarian word for tits is the same.
I have no idea how cacea is pronounced.

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theowlstory@reddit

I guess they get it when the season has passed & whatever is left from us is sent as exports.

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nicubunu@reddit

Is the traditional fast food when you go to the beach in summer

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Left-Function7277@reddit

Fish almost always taste better when the water is cold.

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snakelair88@reddit

Ah wait, that may be entirely true - I live in the mountains in Romania so we’d only have them when it’s summer and we’re at the seaside

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GreenGrassQ1@reddit

Dont forget to add the beer or white cold wine next to it.

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loremipsum777@reddit

mananci doar una?

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GrgaPrticRomanul@reddit

Doar una?

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Aky_Kawasaki@reddit

Yeah girice

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grimvard@reddit

Try rocket leaves in addition

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heatseaking_rock@reddit

That is actually a great suggestion!

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grimvard@reddit

It tastes so good with fish bro, suits to any fish.

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heatseaking_rock@reddit

As a side salad, or as sauce component?

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grimvard@reddit

Just squeeze some lemon on it, eat it alongside

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Critical_Apartment_2@reddit

It can be as salad also you can squiz lemon on top of it + some salt ...
when i have a fish on the table i always have 3 things fish + roka + raki or ouzo

Eating fish without raki is like a blasphemy for me :D

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heatseaking_rock@reddit

Ouzo is better. And I kind of agree with the raki statement. I'm a trout fisherman myself, and I make a mad gravlax and smoked salmone, and every time a stiff one gets it there.

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Survivalist2@reddit

And bread!

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BlastoiseSikyon@reddit

Wait until you find out that most of them aren't actually hamsii, but șprot 😂

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papayango@reddit

Lemon AND garlic? And I thought we were eccentric for eating hamsie with with garlic and a bit of fresh chili (the ones that are native to Romania that are not as fruity or spicy as other varieties; it's more of a freshness jüj).

But I am not here to shame your for your mujdei philosophy. Auzi, lămâie /s

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AdrianIsTooFat@reddit

Hell yes

gif

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Electronic_Lab_1704@reddit

Hamsi (Hamsie[Anchovies]) travel along the Black Sea coast all year round. In winter, they are found along the Turkish coast. That's why they are eaten in Turkiye during the winter.
It is very popular in Türkiye. Lemon is added, but garlic is not.

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honeylipbalmm@reddit

Of courseee hamsi is from my city Trabzon 😍

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ParoXYZm@reddit

Not sure what type this is, but it looks exactly like the Bleak (Alburnus alburnus) I usually buy in Tornio Finland. Perfect beer snack. In Kalix sweden they fish these for the roe. So you can buy shopping bags full dirt cheap. Then grill them with a gridiron, baste them with some brine and eat whole with potatoes and a white sauce with onions.

But these, I'd eat cold while drinking beer.

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AdministrativeGap295@reddit

Yes, whith bread and olives.

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LadyQuantea@reddit

Yes! We call them "gavros" (γαύρος) in Greece.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Gavros is different kind of fish. Gavros is anchovy that's Sprat or Sprattus sprattus, and I can't find Greek name for it.

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Acceptable-Number944@reddit

Atherina I believe.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

That's third kind of small fish that you might not recognize if it's fried. LoL!
Anchovy (gavros) and sprat are little different though.

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anastis@reddit

Could be μαρίδα (Spicara smaris)

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Apparently it's papalina and it's common only on Lesvos

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Acceptable-Number944@reddit

Interesting! I have family from there. Didn’t know. Really cool.

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hotpatat@reddit

We eat it in Samos as well

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Gonji89@reddit

Atherina are silversides specifically. Which these might be, idk I don’t know the fish that well. My family always makes silversides.

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Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

No! Apparently it's called παπαλίνα in Greek. Never heard of that.

https://xrysoskoufaki.gr/τηγανιτή-παπαλίνα

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DaKroat@reddit

Atherina boyeri, yes

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pk851667@reddit

This is marida

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

παπαλινα

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pinelogr@reddit

Μαριδάκι;

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

παπαλινα

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Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

I had to look up what a Sprat is. Seems like it is called παπαλινα (papalina) in Greek and I have never heard of it,

I found the following however

https://xrysoskoufaki.gr/τηγανιτή-παπαλίνα

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ShirtSalty888@reddit

It is called papalina in Greek, but I think it is only regional in Lesvos. Gavros or atherina are the most usual version of this dish in the rest of the country

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Finally I understood how it's named in Greece. Thank you!

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munchmills@reddit

Giaour 😅

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Miserable_Purple_252@reddit

Yes! cornalitos in Argentina

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heavystinker@reddit

uhh no

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waudmasterwaudi@reddit

I Wish we would

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venusinfurstattoo@reddit

Like this

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italiansausageman@reddit

Yes

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Cold-Routine-4875@reddit

Everybody does

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Intrepid_Box_5109@reddit

Yes. And it’s awesome.

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valltzu@reddit

Kinda reminds me of "muikku" in Finland. With some garlic sauce and fries it's really good.

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JRBlond@reddit

In Portugal of course

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skywllk@reddit

Hamsie în Romania. I would eat those every day

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

That's Șprot. Hamsie is little different.

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reasonable-99percent@reddit

Your knowledge of Romanian is impressive. благодаря!

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Lol! I've learned to use language change in wikipedia for animals and plants species because it's usually easiest way to find names in different language and translators sometimes aren't that good with that. Sadly I don't understand Romanian. Still, we call Hamsie Hamsia. So you understand Bulgarian as much I understand Romanian. You are welcome.

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Category63@reddit

I love this interaction.

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Bluesky00222@reddit

It’s also called Hamsi in Turkish. I wonder the origin of the name.

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43282348@reddit

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hamsie

Whenever you're curious about the etymology of a word, use Wiktionary. It's pretty good.

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ivo_sotirov@reddit

In Bulgaria we have a few word for it - one is Хамсия so it sounds the same as in romanian!

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cucuman@reddit

Also sounds the same in Turkish and written as Hamsi !

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kukaz00@reddit

I eat them often at the Dalboka Mussel farm whenever I drive for a walk to Balchik

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Hot_Distribution_131@reddit

Never heard of Хамсия, only цаца.

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nicubunu@reddit

https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Хамсия and цаца are different species. Anchovy and sprat in English.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Цаца and хамсия are different kind of fish. It's sprat and anchovy in English. Sprat is very popular in Bulgaria for some reason.

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wastetine@reddit

Your links are to the same wiki page.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Sorry. Fixed!

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canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

Everyone I know calls it Цаца.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Цаца and хамсия are different kind of fish.

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EmptyPossibility2551@reddit

In Germany they are called "Sprotten" and are hot smoked and not fried... you usually only get them on the coast fresh from the fish smokehouse or sometimes in fish cans in the supermarket.

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SpotEuphoric@reddit

Yes

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unnamed-user1784@reddit

No but I want to

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omaiordaaldeia@reddit

That type of meal originated in iberia.

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Chillfire1385@reddit

I prefer hamsi in the oven with an Olive oil Lemon sauce, with some pickled sumac onions. But this is a classic too.

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Automatic-Art9739@reddit

Nah, we eat them fermented

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Klint_BG@reddit

Yes. Girice

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InformalAd7675@reddit

yes, italy

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Commercial_Leek6987@reddit

On Eastern Turkish coast of Black Sea, they make dishes, soups, even dessert put of this fish

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Marizemid10371@reddit

Dessert?????? Like what???(Sorry for asking but I can't even imagine...)

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Commercial_Leek6987@reddit

Yup 😂 Search for “hamsi tatlısı” on google. I haven’t tried myself, I don’t think I could either, can’t even begin to imagine how fish would taste as a dessert

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Dramatic_Bed9236@reddit

Hamsi tatlısı is not made with hamsi, but only looks like hamsi. stop spreading misinformation.

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Marizemid10371@reddit

Oh God, I just did... Why, why, why????😬😂😂😂

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robininscarf@reddit

I am from Eastern Black Sea regions of Turkey, and it baffles me to this day. There are some places that makes this but I'haven't seen it with my own eyes yet. In fact, the first time I heard of this, it was in an old movie as a gag. That old movie one didn't even seem genuine, because we don't have much of a gelatin based desert in our cuisine.

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Marizemid10371@reddit

I surely don't know, but I try to be open to new experiences. The first time I visited Istanbul I was offered tavukgogsu (sorry,i don't have adequate Turkish spelling) and first I was thinking that it would be bad, but it was incredible. And yes, you are right fishy baclava is sacrilege! Good morning from Athens!

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Public-Initiative509@reddit

I am from the Black Sea region too and never heard of it .. it does not look good.

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-Kares-@reddit

Our Black Sea Region is famous for its food crimes.

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nicknamehahahah@reddit

pickles too

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Paws_n_Pixels@reddit

yup!

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SubRedditEdit@reddit

Yeah

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da_real007n7@reddit

YESHHDHFBDHD I LOVE HAMSI 🥹✌️✌️✌️

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Parking-Code-4159@reddit

I believe this is a dish that's eaten everywhere from Latvia amd Russia in the north, through Poland and Germany, all the way down to Turkey in the south. And I bet it is eaten in other places as well. I know it also with lemon

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ndiddy81@reddit

Yes but we not balkan

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Pristine_Length_3159@reddit

Horse Mackerel and Garfish fried the same way are even better.

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No_Calligrapher1190@reddit

Fantastic, with lemon and salt.

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Snoo-35855@reddit

Yes and the right way is to eat it whole with the bones

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happy0cattey@reddit

Yes the same stylr

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merdeauxfraises@reddit

🇬🇷absolutely, had some today!

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guga76@reddit

Petinga, it’s how we name it in Portugal 🇵🇹 👌

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Tzatziki007@reddit

yes

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rastafarisinrasta@reddit

In Málaga we eat those as well. We call them boquerones

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Wytsch@reddit

No but its one of the first thing i would order when on vacation

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miami002@reddit

С пивом - да. Ням ням

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enjoyoooor@reddit

This post screams Bulgaria

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Jazzlike-Moose3123@reddit

Yeah ıts called hamsi. Its cheap and healthy i think i should eat it more. We eat it like a few times in a year.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

It's Çaça not hamsi.

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Jazzlike-Moose3123@reddit

No we call it hamsi. Its çaça in bulgarian?

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

çaça and hamsi are different kind of fish. In English their names are sprat and anchovy. We call them çaça and hamsiya.

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Jazzlike-Moose3123@reddit

oh okay. I thought it looked like hamsi.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

Apparently in Turkey çaça is also known, I would guess in Black see shore regions, and that's Turkish name. You have much more varieties in Mediteranean waters.

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Jazzlike-Moose3123@reddit

We dont know much about the sea. Its a pity because we are surrounded by it.

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RegionSignificant977@reddit

I guess that there are plenty of people in Turkey that live of the sea. They should know.

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Atvaaa@reddit

yea ask anyone in Trabzon or Antalya and they would know the difference

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Atvaaa@reddit

Hamsi powa

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Delegat70@reddit

It's very popular in Bulgaria through the summer but I prefer horse makerel these days, much tastier fish.

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Serpantinas@reddit

In Greece we even have a team named after that dish

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Ok-Month-7333@reddit

yes i put them in my gyro B-)

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Vaggos88@reddit

Greek here. Ofc we do

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RingTough3264@reddit

Poor

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Rusalkat@reddit

Very similar muikku (freshwater fish)

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gloomybloom420@reddit

These are the best

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BarbillaCarmesi@reddit

We do in Spain!🤟

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-VaeVictis@reddit

this is an absolute must in Lebanon during the summer time especially at beachfront. we cal this fish Bizri

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somerandomguyblabla@reddit

Idea of preferring %50 skin and fishbones covered with corn over any other fish is beyond me

[-]

RossMxx@reddit

Of course we do, it's a Med thing.

[-]

Character_Hamster890@reddit

Of course, with Roka salad and Raki! Some Şakşuka, Fava and Haydari will make it perfect.

[-]

LionRagex@reddit

Jaquinzinhos in the honorary balkan 🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹

[-]

No-Ice-2338@reddit

One of us! One of us! Btw, I loved lapas in Madeira, not sure if they are eaten anywhere else

[-]

Ive-no-idea@reddit

Yesss, in the Azores and Canary islands! In the Azores, we eat them grilled with a lot of garlic and lemon, butter or olive oil.

[-]

milds7ven@reddit

Jaquinzinhos com arroz de tomate :D

[-]

Safe-Razzmatazz3982@reddit

Girice with đuveč. Never tried it together, but could be the next great thing. Welcome to full balkan membership.

[-]

AdLeading7250@reddit

Petingas fritas também

[-]

G_8_9@reddit

Definitely in Greece 🇬🇷

[-]

lcqjp@reddit

Im a foreigner to the balkans and havent had this but want to learn. Is there a common/traditional sauce to eat these with?(to dip them in)

[-]

antonis_t@reddit

Atherina 👍🏼

[-]

lavenderlovey88@reddit

yes. my balkan husband loves these in my country

[-]

Playful-Estimate-453@reddit

Dagaa in Tanzania 🇹🇿

[-]

treba_dzemper@reddit

Girice/Gavuni FTW

[-]

ChicagoChurro@reddit

I’m Bosnian and have never heard of this. Is it eaten all over the country or only in certain parts?

[-]

treba_dzemper@reddit

Of all Bosnian towns you're most likely to find them in Tučepi or Makarska 😜

J/K

It's sea fish so it was common only in places that had fish markets. Now that we're no longer in Yugoslavia it does mean importing the fish from Croatia so it's become a bit less common, but you can still buy them in better equipped markets, or order them in restaurants that offer seafood in towns where it caught on.

[-]

SgtMajor-Issues@reddit

Oh yes!! We pick it up for lunch at the beach!

[-]

nicknamehahahah@reddit

Not only we eat it but there is also lots of popular songs about it in turkish

[-]

s0ur_apples@reddit

Mexico checking in, yes we call them Charales.

[-]

0Zaseka0@reddit

Yummy, yes

[-]

thelordchonky@reddit

What is it? Fish?

Non-Balkaner here. Just curious.

[-]

NoiseMany5869@reddit

yes, with lime and salsa (mostly Valentina).

[-]

Knights-Hemplar@reddit

smelts?

[-]

PleaseBePatient99@reddit

Never, but I love it when I visit Spain.

[-]

Far_Eye_8884@reddit

Barabulka?!

[-]

Shivrainthemad@reddit

Yes in south of France.

[-]

Heavy-Conversation12@reddit

Holly hell yes, it's a common tapa.

[-]

thetyphonlol@reddit

no but I di so if I can if I am on hiliday. its delicious

[-]

NimrodvanHall@reddit

We eat this in a Greek restaurant in the Netherlands.

[-]

sayinmer@reddit

Hamsiyi koydum tavaya başladı oynamaya 🎶🎶🎶

[-]

Themystery7712@reddit

🤤 This and a cold Beer! Please!

[-]

Own-Lengthiness-1122@reddit

Fucking love those fishies

[-]

New-Ranger-8960@reddit

My grandma makes this dish every week on the day our village has a bazaar

[-]

refinedeuropa@reddit

hamsi tava

[-]

ilhanguvenerol@reddit

You can crucify me, behead me, lynch me in the public, idc, hamsi is the worst fish ever. Fried chips disguised as fish. An insult to the cuisine.

—Sincerely, a fish enthusiast.

[-]

QUADRANYX@reddit

Hamsi la buu

[-]

Bobbyee@reddit

Classic seaside dish!

[-]

KapetannZaspan@reddit

o da <3

[-]

Downtown_Ganache_254@reddit

Turist food, from where I’m from. Only tourists eat this, frozen like from previous 3-4 years ago

[-]

n-i-x-x-x@reddit

Yep, we call it "Ца-Ца" (Ca-Ca)!

[-]

aadal_dk@reddit

So like boquerones fritos? Love them!

[-]

Ok_Distribution6386@reddit

It is hamsi and better grilled

[-]

sullanaveconilcane@reddit

Yes!

[-]

6LazmaN6@reddit

More important question is do you eat them with or without heads!

[-]

Puiucs@reddit

i think it depends on how big they are and how crispy they made them.

[-]

canyoubelieveitt@reddit (OP)

Two different philosophies on this one

[-]

Puiucs@reddit

it's great. i love it in Romania.

[-]

QuickMartyr@reddit

Manjubinhas in Brazil

[-]

karma_lama_big_dong@reddit

And with dark beer.. at least when I used to drink! 🥲

[-]

Minute_Eye3411@reddit

I went to Bulgaria last Summer and ate this, with great pleasure, because we have it in Marseille too. "Mange-tout".

[-]

velebr3@reddit

Sea people do. Us peasant northeners don't lol

[-]

ahilleuspotroklos@reddit

Uuuuf 🥰

[-]

wierdo_12_333@reddit

Yea with beer

[-]

Ok-Gas-6945@reddit

Yes in Greece

[-]

AdhesivenessTrue1474@reddit

Wow, amazing

[-]

Xanto10@reddit

Lol yes, especially here in South Italy; we put them in a "Cuoppo di Mare" for example, but we have many ways of eating them

[-]

ClothesZestyclose814@reddit

Absolutely, it's one of the most common Greek seafood dishes. We call it gavros.

[-]

BeyondTheCosmic@reddit

lol I love how it’s impossible for you guys to talk about a dish and add Greek in front of it

[-]

ClothesZestyclose814@reddit

What?

[-]

pluckyvirus@reddit

Different fish, same idea.

[-]

Healthy_Surround8306@reddit

Yes, I eat Hamsie when I go to the Black Sea

[-]

rwdsun@reddit

balkan chips

[-]

Stunning-Welder-2160@reddit

Why not? It's just fish

[-]

eustache10@reddit

Summer of 2005, Vama Veche, Romania. Camping on the beach. This was served with french fries and garlic. One of the cheapest meals you could possibly get. Add a cold Timisoreana beer which was only 2.5 lei (aprox 0.5 Eur today. Back then Euro was of course a lot lower) and you got yourself the perfect beach lunch. Back then I didn't realize those were the best times, tbh.

[-]

fts_now@reddit

fritto misto

[-]

vanorah@reddit

This > popcorn

[-]

Krembiloid@reddit

Inćuni! 😍

[-]

couldntthinkoffaname@reddit

i feel like any country that borders the black sea has this and im so glad ts one of the best fishes ever

[-]

alecsandru010@reddit

Salty hamsie and a cooold beeeer! life can't be better than that! :D

[-]

GrayFox5@reddit

Yes. Called Barbunia in Israel.

[-]

Mestintrela@reddit

Barbunia is the name of stripped red mullets in Greek and other European languages.

Are you sure it is not the same in Hebrew?

[-]

Commercial_Leek6987@reddit

Same in Turkey, we call Barbunya both the kidney beans (the cold dish) and the fish. The most delicious fish in the world!

[-]

GrayFox5@reddit

I’m sure. That’s the name of that fish in Hebrew. I love eating these.

[-]

optionstrategy@reddit

Not Balkan, disqualified.

[-]

EvilInGood@reddit

What a coincidence, we call kidney beans Barbunya in Turkish and -ya is spelled as -ia as well.

[-]

Winter-Speech978@reddit

Yes, we call them Plashki.

[-]

Fabulous-Yellow8331@reddit

I have no idea how we call this in Greek but we definitely eat it in Cyprus

[-]

voyboy_crying@reddit

Called cironka in albania and they're crack

[-]

Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit

Yes! It's a good meze for ouzo.

[-]

Sad_Suspect_9649@reddit

Yeah, we call them girice.

[-]

Mikicrep@reddit

can confirm

[-]

kotarGorski@reddit

Srdele, no? Girice are much much smaller

[-]

Ha55aN1337@reddit

Sardele are bigger. This are just teenage girice 😂

[-]

kotarGorski@reddit

Girice are really tiny though, less than a little finger...

Srdele, inćuni and papaline are all similar though and look like this in the picture

[-]

Ha55aN1337@reddit

You do realize this is a closeup picture? Look at the lemon.

[-]

Sad_Suspect_9649@reddit

Perhaps. Franky idk the difference between papline, girice, srdele...

[-]

PrudentCaterpillar74@reddit

Papaline as well.

[-]

The_LimitlessOne@reddit

Yessir and its peak

[-]

Mikicrep@reddit

yes but without lemon :/

[-]

bombosch@reddit

Hamsiiiii

[-]

backhand_english@reddit

Papaline. ♥️

[-]

Chibrou@reddit

Somehow Papaline returned.

[-]

anka453@reddit

I full-on ugly laughed. Thanks for this

[-]

Western_Fox_4253@reddit

Looks like papalina but it’s hamsi. We literally wiped out papalina from our Aegean coast btw. I used to eat a lot of it in family summerhouse north of İzmir. Last few years, it’s been almost none.

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

Romanian complaining that there's no hamsi in Romania, but there is only sprat (papalina), and you are missing sprat. Op is Bulgarian. Sprat always have been very popular in Bulgaria for some reason. Hamsi is rarely used like that. So I guess it's sprat.

[-]

Renbarre@reddit

I'm suddenly hungry. I love that.

[-]

BeardedLumberJack420@reddit

What kind of fish are they? In Canada we have a similar small fish we call Smelt that only run for a short time in the spring and frying them up is a quintessential northern treat for sure. So good.

[-]

Statakaka@reddit

No we just look at it. Of course we eat it

[-]

PruneOk9712@reddit

Hamsularım tazedur da alıp yiyip doysana
bir kilodan n'olur
oh oh bey amca
3-5 kilo alsana. Hamsi is my favorite fish

[-]

dreej23@reddit

This is hamsi. Perfect with lemon and salad

[-]

ZombieNek0@reddit

When the season comes. Way too much.

[-]

dalegribble__96@reddit

The thinking man’s cuisine

[-]

lengthener@reddit

In both England and Australia you can find this or at least something similar. Fried whitebait

[-]

VeedySpain@reddit

"Pescaíto frito" in Spain. With an Andalusian touch in the name

[-]

ChronosSensei@reddit

I've eaten this a total of once in my life and I think about it all the time.

[-]

100not2ndaccount@reddit

Mojva

[-]

leafsland132@reddit

Yes, called tsironi

[-]

Prudent_Walrus1283@reddit

Yes.

[-]

TrickAdorable9764@reddit

Yeah, and ours looks 100% like picrel

[-]

BigBootyAddictMay@reddit

Of course it’s delicious 🤤

[-]

rogin3k@reddit

Mmmmm fih

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Saidi9062@reddit

With it we make "ch(c&h not ch)anah", which consists of small fish powder mixed with local bread and water, served with slices of "hadal" (unripe mango), onions, and onion leaves.

[-]

leahvicol@reddit

Idk what is this but looks really cool! Where can I find it ?

[-]

STOPBADRANDOMS@reddit

Fuck yeah!

[-]

Raneynickelfire@reddit

That looks like something repulsive that I would drunkenly eat without a second thought.

[-]

juracic@reddit

Prikanci

[-]

Sarewokki@reddit

Looks the same definitely, the vendaces are rolled in rye flour and then fried in butter, common staple at summer markets etc. in Finland.

Never seen lemon with it though, but that might be more common these days.

[-]

Dangerous-Lettuce-51@reddit

In PHILIPPINES 🇵🇭 these are sun dried then later on fried. Its delicious for us but it stinks when frying. I miss home

[-]

XenophonSoulis@reddit

Yes. Not me personally, but people do.

[-]

Austerlitz2310@reddit

I hate girice. Then again, I hate all fish. But these have their heads on. No thanks.

[-]

Nikillix@reddit

Yes,but imo they kinda suck because of the little bones that get stuck in my teeth.

[-]

OkokokokokDum@reddit

my mouth was watering when i saw this image

[-]

MixPsychological4728@reddit

Ofc. In Bulgarian we call it tsatsa lol

[-]

SkepticalAwaken@reddit

Yumm yes we do

[-]

P1K1_@reddit

ye

[-]

alumidi@reddit

Just had it this afternoon

[-]

DisembarkEmbargo@reddit

Lol yeah, my mom said to make these little fishes all the time.

[-]

Economy-Movie-4500@reddit

Yeah, serves in every tavern by the sea in Greece

[-]

Secure-Window-5478@reddit

Grunion in SO CAL are free fish for frying.

[-]

BillGR7@reddit

Yes of course! Greece 🇬🇷☦️

[-]

fatstackinbenj@reddit

I've eaten it but can't say i'm a fan. This only tastes good for like the next 15-ish minutes after it's coked. Any second more than this and it's disgusting.

Also prior to being cooked, this fish was probably in the freezer of some dogshit resturant for like 6 months.

[-]

MasterKillerDaki001@reddit

https://i.redd.it/c9ye9are7esg1.gif

[-]

Dangerous-Tart1126@reddit

Yeah we are calling it ,,xamsa" in my country

[-]

CT0292@reddit

Certain seafood restaurants here might have them in the summer. Whitebait is what its usually called. You can buy them at about an fishmonger. A light dusting, frying, lemon, it's perfect.

Their popularity hasn't grown much over the years. But I've seen old folks with them. Periwinkles and mussels too.

Used to be able to get 1kg of the little sprats or winkles or mussels at the fish monger for about 8 euro. I don't think that's the case anymore.

[-]

Numerous_Rough1300@reddit

I wish

[-]

dsilva_Viz@reddit

Are you sure this is not Portugal? 😅

[-]

PureAfternoon3633@reddit

GIRICE

[-]

AdditionalPanda4935@reddit

Jes. Ai ejt dis at kirvaj in maj vilidž.

[-]

Severe_Ad_55@reddit

Amazing food and yes we eat this

[-]

xVladdy@reddit

HAMSIII

[-]

Someone_________@reddit

YES! oh god i remember when i was like twelve we went on holiday to Vieira de Leiria and i ate that for lunch and dinner for a week, it was so good. it wasn't even a restaurant it was a tiny café, i hope they're still open

[-]

Nearby_Bodybuilder30@reddit

Giriceeeeee

[-]

amash1@reddit

In Portugal it's called "petinga frita" and it's usually eaten with tomato rice and my grandmother used to also fry portuguese cornbread.

[-]

melisadhoc@reddit

In Lebanon we eat it with Tarrator (same as falafel sauce). Its deep fried after being marinated in garlic and lemon.

[-]

Cetaxizin@reddit

hamsi

[-]

Mysterious_Equal_473@reddit

Sardynki <3

[-]

Bergfried@reddit

Yes!

[-]

BalkanPower_Bro@reddit

We’re landlocked, so I don’t think we have this dish (or it’s rarely available). But I think it is commonly made in Albania.

[-]

FrigopieMessi@reddit

In Spain is very very common also, just FYI

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ClothesZestyclose814@reddit

Greece as well, we have many variations actually.

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

You use anchovy (gavros), that's sprat (Papaline). Today I learned the name of those small fishes on all Balkan languages. In Bulgaria Papaline is very popular for some reason. Almost always it is Papaline.

[-]

ClothesZestyclose814@reddit

We have many small fried fish dishes in Greece, at least four from the top of my head. We have gavros, sardela, marida, and atherina. My favorite is atherina, it's the smallest fish and it's crazy crispy you eat it like chips.

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

You have a lot of seafood dishes overall. Lol. Varieties in the Black Sea are much more limited. Sprat is like atherina then. It's leaner than anchovy and it's more crispy when fried.

[-]

FrigopieMessi@reddit

Same here! Its also delicious.

Boquerones fritos, if anyone is interested

[-]

SabziZindagi@reddit

Used to be common in the UK too. They also have it in Lebanon.

[-]

Altruistic-Bell-3209@reddit

I ate this in Greece, it's a type of fish I never saw before in Latin America.

[-]

kredokathariko@reddit

Wow, you do that too? In Russia it is eaten exclusively in Saint Petersburg.

[-]

NefariousnessOk5654@reddit

The food of champions

[-]

Alp2316@reddit

As far as I concern Hamsi most delicious fish in the World.

[-]

Worth_Environment_42@reddit

Greece 🇬🇷 YES.

[-]

ivo_sotirov@reddit

Цаца, Хамсия, Копърка I'm sure there are more words for the same dish in Bulgaria, but these are the ones I know

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

Копърка/Цаца and Хамсия are different kind of fish.

[-]

Hot_Net3916@reddit

And Копърка is only when трицона is marinated. So it’s цаца or хамсия, depending on the species.

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

Хамсия is meatier. You can tell the difference. Цаца (sprat) is much cheaper and much more common in Bulgaria.

[-]

Mr_Kikos@reddit

трицона също

[-]

PlinketyPlinkaPlink@reddit

Not really in my part of Norway, but I miss the Spanish ones you'd get on the beach.

[-]

WeirdAssumption2482@reddit

turkiye and hamsi its a most famous fish here

[-]

ACM96@reddit

Absolutely! Limon, fresh bread and Hamsi - that's the Turkish way!

[-]

StrayFeral@reddit

I kill for this! 🇧🇬🇧🇬

[-]

Soft_Fisherman4506@reddit

Yep in the uk, sprats or whitebait.

[-]

Jose_Caveirinha_2001@reddit

In Brazil it's called "piabinha".

[-]

ActuatorNew6203@reddit

My lunch last sunday, with cooked potatoes with chard, lemon and garlic. Fantastic...

[-]

hugcker@reddit

Its popular streetfood in naples, cuoppo fritto

[-]

UsefulBottle81@reddit

Interesting, we also eat them in every season except summer.

[-]

Donizatas@reddit

Parrochas !! Galicia - Spain

[-]

Slight-Mud-1584@reddit

Loved it!! pretty deliciouss

[-]

223Steppah@reddit

Yes we do its called gauros

[-]

Floor-is-Drava@reddit

Famous work meal (gablec), makes the caffeteria smell of fried fish for hours. Lovely

[-]

giorgi_iusuf@reddit

Oh yeah, with garlic sauce 👌

[-]

kukaz00@reddit

My mouth is watering duck off

[-]

Rvic0@reddit

With bread and or polenta (mamaliga)

[-]

EnvironmentalCost980@reddit

Yes. In Romanian one of the fish is “hamsie” multiple are “hamsii”

[-]

No_Opinion5336@reddit

Man. This is very popular in Portugal. We call it "Petinga" and is common from north to south, especially in the coastal areas. I really thought this was our thing 😄

[-]

kalayt@reddit

what fish do you use?

[-]

RegionSignificant977@reddit

It's almost always European_sprat in Bulgaria. In Mediterranean European anchovy is apparently much more popular.

[-]

ResponsibleCar8814@reddit

Looks like something from Alien movies

[-]

IlCinese@reddit

Used to be very a popular food option at summer fairs back when I was a kid, in northern Italy.

[-]

Far-Estimate956@reddit

Yes lemon and garlic!!

[-]

Internal-Remove7223@reddit

boquerones in Spain, fried or marinated in vinegar, both incredible

[-]

ImSolidGold@reddit

Id kill for that.

[-]

RahkaGandalf@reddit

Yes, very popular in Finland. Usually served with garlic mayo. There is a fish market coming up soon and there will be a lot of these. Is the fish here coregonus albula?

[-]

nkryptid@reddit

Are those smelt? My uncle used to fish for them. Hella fucking tasty. Haven't had them in decades. R.I.P Sammy

[-]

jaznam112@reddit

Yes. With tršćanski sauce (parsley, olive oil, lemon and garlic) and blitva (swiss chard with potatoes, olive oil and garlic)

[-]

NPCnr348592@reddit

It's bloody amazing. I remember taking my German friend to a pub in Gdańsk, and he had like 4 plates of this, then he talked his way into the kitchen and begged for recipie. Dude went insane, like it activated some forgotten neuron paths in his soul.

[-]

Munshirobot@reddit

OMG i live for this!!!!!

[-]

Substantial_Ad_9016@reddit

Yes from Greece

[-]

GotRektDuh@reddit

Gavros. If you know your game you eat the whole thing in one bite

[-]

Savings_Dragonfly806@reddit

HELL YEAH!

[-]

Max_ach@reddit

Plashici in Macedonian. They're usually eaten where the lakes are - Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran.

[-]

GovernmentHopeful285@reddit

I would definitely try this!

[-]

MammothTrifle3616@reddit

Kod Mimice na ribice ;)

[-]

Ashamed_Shoulder1399@reddit

Yes, yes, in Serbia we call it "girice".

[-]

paradajz666@reddit

Ofc. With a lot of raw onions and white bread.

[-]

Cha-Otic@reddit

Hamsi!

[-]

Better-Judgment8970@reddit

Turkish wife makes it all the time

[-]

Fit-Bedroom-7645@reddit

I think that's the equivalent of 'whitebait' in the UK , haven't seen it much lately.

[-]

sumdemian@reddit

It looks like fried hamsi or sardalya (I'm Türkish). Looking at the photo made my stomach rumble with hunger!

[-]

Electronic-Bird-5472@reddit

Best for the summer whit a cold beer 🍺

[-]

Few-You-1554@reddit

yes

[-]

Standard_Rock3199@reddit

sure

[-]

MMortein@reddit

Yes in Croatia

[-]

ratz1819@reddit

Hamsie 🤤🤤🤤

[-]

Low_Skill_4096@reddit

yes we do

[-]

alasw0eisme@reddit

Is this цаца? I don't even know the English word. I just know they're a type of sardine.

[-]

Strong_Ad2383@reddit

If it’s the same thing we eat in England, we call it whitebait.

[-]

ItJustWontDo242@reddit

Yes! I remember going out at night with my Dedo to catch buckets of these when I was a kid

[-]

Nounousomes78@reddit

Egypt/Alexandria

[-]

Drafter1991@reddit

Yeeeesssss. I love that food!!!!

[-]

f-ranke@reddit

Love it! Eat it whenever I am in Croatia

[-]

StaticSystemShock@reddit

I can both smell and taste this image. In a good way. This shit is fire!

[-]

Immediate_Engine3066@reddit

We cook in frying pan but first dipped in corn flour,

[-]

Jamsedreng22@reddit

I imagine it's like boquerones fritos? love that.

We don't have it in Denmark, but I had it in Spain just like that. Delicious with just a bit of salt and freshly squeezed lemon.

[-]

Awkward_Writer5990@reddit

hamsi tava turkish version

[-]

Senju19_02@reddit

Yes. In Bulgaria we call this tsatsa (цаца)

[-]

schnuuu369@reddit

Ich habe die als Kind in Spanien geliebt . Sie hießen dort „boquerones“ oder so ähnlich. Frisch aus dem Meer. Es war köstlich

[-]

Awkward_Writer5990@reddit

we eat like this

[-]

Kohonis@reddit

Γάβρος ή χαψία όπως λέμε οι Πόντιοι. Essential Greek tavern summer item is fried gavros

[-]

SAUR-ONE@reddit

Every week.

[-]

VStoyanov5000@reddit

Ca-Ca

[-]

Acidd_dragon@reddit

Fuck yes

[-]

Exact_Map3366@reddit

Looks exactly the same as what we have in Finland. Probably slightly different ingredients though. We use vendace, rye flour and butter.

[-]

Worried-Owl-9198@reddit

Papalina or Hamsi

[-]

d1xt1r@reddit

Цаца ❤️

[-]

Entire_Example4254@reddit

Hell yeah! We cal it “stinta” in Lithuania and when this fish comes to our waters at winter we catch and eat it like crazy

[-]

No-Cream-7647@reddit

Yeah but I dont like it

[-]

Consistent-Shoe-9602@reddit

We do. I've been a vegetarian for over a decade and a half and this is one of the few things I really miss. It's not steak or burgers or sausages or chicken soup, it's цаца ("tsatsa").

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