Arsik

Arsik is an Indonesian dish that has its origin among the Mandailing and Batak Toba people, native to North Sumatra. The dish is usually prepared with common carp, which is stewed with various spices and herbs. Torch ginger and Szechuan pepper are the key spices used in the dish.

Because Szechuan pepper is only found at the height of 1500 meters in the area where the Mandailing and Batak Toba people reside, arsik has always represented the traditional dish of the area. The fish is always served whole, symbolizing the entire human life, and it is typically covered with a thick, spicy sauce.