Akutaq: A Blending Of Eskimo Heritage & Cultural Tradition

July 7, 2010
Written by Randi McCreary in
The Welcoming Table
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Akutaq

Many would argue that the best dishes are those prepared with love and simplicity. These same principals are a reflection of the historic culture and humble way of life practiced by the Inuit. A beautiful people that truly embrace the practicality of living off the land; the Inuit have a history of relying on regional plant and animal life to flourish and prosper.


Traditional culinary practices are built on the same principles. Early Inuit were not equipped with much vegetation in the winter months, leaving them with a host of carnivorous meal options derived from hunted seal, fish, whale, caribou, polar bear, and birds. It was a normal practice to consume (often raw) the entire animal. These hunted animals fulfilled the Inuit nourishment and nutritional value, while also serving as clothing and shelter during the winter months.


Today, the Inuit diet still largely consists of the same animals from centuries ago with similar methods of preparation. A traditional Inuit dessert is called Akutaq. This dessert is prepared with a mixture of animal fat, oil and a selection of fresh berries. Earlier Inuit did not use sugar to prepare their Akutaq. This difference marks a variance in tradition, although both versions of the dessert use the same process. The Akutaq was traditionally prepared to mark the successful hunting of animals like polar bears. Once the dessert was made it was shared throughout the community at gatherings like potlatches.


An Inuit preparing AkutaqTo make Akutaq you begin by gutting, skinning, cleaning and boiling a fish for approximately 20 minutes. Once the fish is boiled, and cooled down, pull it apart, and crumble up the meat of the fish, making sure to look for any bones that need to be taken out. You then use your hands to combine the fish with a mixture of animal fat (this could be taken from any of the local fare) and Crisco. Finally, add a selection of berries to the mix. The preparation may sound basic, but the meaning behind its method derives from the relationship between nature and nurture. Those of Inuit decent understand how important it is to depend on our surroundings, and that the value of heritage is based on how we choose to embrace them.


Often times we think strangely of what many areas of the world eat. We might even hesitate if we’d try an Inuit ice cream that paired boiled fish and berries. A wonderful first step towards breaking down the color barrier is to try to see things through the eyes of another and welcome new cuisine to our table.


Traditional Akutaq Ingredients:


3-4 pounds of fish (salmon, halibut, tilapia, etc.)
Crisco vegetable shortening
Vegetable oil
Sugar
One gallon of fresh berries


Preparation:


Mix the prepared crumbled fish (gutted, skinned, cleaned and boiled), Crisco shortening and sugar together until it makes a paste. Add berries (any berry; cloudberries also called salmonberries used here). Ready to serve immediately. Yours truly enjoys the first bowlfull. In the old days, Yup’iks used Omega-3 rich seal oil and/or whale blubber in this dish which would make it a very healthy dish.

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The Welcoming Table