Sig

Sig, also known as siga, is a type of common white fish that inhabits the Sevan Lake and has been introduced from the Ladoga Lake. It typically reaches up to 17 inches in length and has been praised as an essential protein source in Armenia, especially since the years following the country’s proclaimed independence.

It was then that sig, along with eggplants and kidney beans, became a staple and one of the primary protein sources in almost every Armenian household. Times of hardship gave rise to a variety of dishes based on sig, such as kufta and meatballs consisting of ground sig, and the fish also replaced the traditional meat filling for dolma.

The fish was abundant and readily available from roadsides and bazaars, and even at one’s doorstep, sold from coolers. Even though it is believed that sig’s production is on the decline and it might be an endangered species, the fish is widely consumed to this day, and it can be prepared in various ways, including oven-fried sig or sig that is soaked in tomato-paprika sauce and then grilled.