Ngachin (Burmese: ငါးချဉ်; lit.'sour fish'), also called pickled fish, is a traditional fermented fish product used in Burmese cuisine. Ngachin consists of raw freshwater fish, which is pressed with a mixture of cooked rice gruel and salt as it ferments, and is traditionally packed in taungzun leaves.[1]Bronze featherback is typically used for ngachin, although other freshwater varieties like rohu can be substituted.[1] The version using shrimp is called bazunchin (ပုစွန်ချဉ်, lit.'sour shrimp').[2]
Ngachin is popularly served in a Burmese salad, mixed with garlic, shallots, fresh chillies, coriander and served with rice.[3] In Madauk, ngachin is commonly served in mohinga, a rice noodle soup.[3]
In popular culture
Ngachin is the subject of a popular Burmese proverb, "homemade ngachin tastes better" (ကိုယ့်ငါးချဉ် ကိုယ်ချဉ်), reflecting the shortcomings of personal biases.[4]
