Viziga

We think not many modern hostesses know what a viziga is and how to cook or serve this kind of fish semi-finished product. In fact, the viziga is primarily a chord of sturgeon fish species that is suitable for consumption. In turn, the chord, and translated from Greek χορδή or string, is an elastic longitudinal and sufficiently long cord of the dorsal string of sturgeon fish.

It is noteworthy that throughout the entire life cycle, the viziga or chord of sturgeon remains unchanged. At its core and appearance, the viziga is a cord of dense connective tissue, the so-called skeleton layer. It is worth noting that the viziga of sturgeon fish species has been used for culinary purposes for many centuries to a number.

However, in this age of culinary and food abundance, such a part of the fish carcass as a viziga is increasingly related to production waste. In order to separate the viziga, you need to make a small incision in the spine of the fish. Then cartilaginous tissues of spine are cut in skeletal layer, where visiga is treated and whole chord is pulled out.

In its appearance, the viziga resembles a long white ribbon. After the visiga is separated from the spine, the unsuitable top layer is removed. At the final stage of processing, the viziga is dried in special rooms. The dried viziga is tied into bundles of 12 pieces and in this form is sold in specialized fish shops.

Viziga is used to prepare some fish dishes, as well as pastries, such as kulebyak. Interestingly, prior to culinary use, the dried visiga is boiled for some time in water so that the product swells and acquires its characteristic appearance suitable for use as a filling in the home baking process.

The cooked sturgeon viziga is chopped into small pieces, and then kulebyaki or pies are filled. As a rule, viziga is used as an independent filling for baking or the product is mixed with fish meat. The viziga was especially popular in the 19th century, when semi-finished fish products were made in fisheries in the Caspian, and in addition to the Azov Seas.

It is worth emphasizing the fact that in addition to the distinctive taste characteristics of the visiga, sturgeon fish species have unique useful properties for the human body. This is primarily due to compounds of natural origin, which are included in the vitamin and mineral composition of the fish semi-finished product.

The viziga contains vitamins of group A, B, C, as well as PP and beta-carotene. In addition, the chemical composition of sturgeon visiga is enriched with calcium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, molybdenum and phosphorus.