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[edit]

Ngachin is the subject of a popular Burmese proverb, "homemade ngachin tastes better" (ကိုယ့်ငါးချဉ် ကိုယ်ချဉ်), reflecting the shortcomings of personal biases.^[4]

See also[edit]

• Burmese cuisine
• Shrimp paste
• Fermented fish

References[edit]