Sngaorotrei (sŋaː.ɔ.rɔ.trej)

Header image shows an enlarged image of the Sngaorotrei.

"I thought you said this was fish stew? I'm not seeing anything but vegetables and insects in here..."
"Oh, no you misunderstand. It is not fish stew. It is made with the stew fish!"
"And which bit in here is that?"
"It's still in the pot; you never eat the stew fish - think of how it would wriggle!"

— conversation over a meal on Kaoh

Many parts of the Million Islands have food items that seem unusual to outsiders. But for the dedicated culinary adventurer, the Sngaorotrei of Kaoh is often considered the oddest of them all.

The name Sngaorotrei translates as "Stew Fish" in the Phasah Kaoh language. Many people believe that this is because they Anak Kaoh make stew out of the Sngaorotrei. This is understandable, but incorrect. The Sngaorotrei is never made into stew itself, but it is integral to unique flavors of Anak Kaoh cuisine.

A Heat-Loving Creature

The Sngaorotrei is a small mudfish which lives in the hot volcanic ponds on Kaoh. This ability to thrive in hot environments means that when the Sngaorotrei is placed in a cookpot, it does not perish. Instead, the stew fish finds itself in a kind of heaven. A pot of cooking stew is a pleasant temperature, full of yummy food, and completely free of predators. While it cannot survive indefinitely in a pot of stew, it can flourish there for days or even weeks before needing to return to one of its native muddy ponds.

A Unique Flavor

When the Sngaorotrei swims around in the stew, it imparts a distinctive quality to the dish. This has been described as somewhere between salty and savory, with a rich and unctuous texture. When pressed, visitors are forced to say it tastes like Sngaorotrei, and that they are at a loss to compare it to anything else. Attempts have invoked comparisons as varied as smoked fish, coffee, and whipped whale blubber, but all agree that these are inaccurate approximations. The only way to know the flavor of the stew fish is to experience it oneself. Those who travel widely in the Great Ring may find that the trip to remote Kaoh is worth it for this unique culinary experience.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Sngaorotrei is a small dark brown fish which can grow to about two inches long. It is semi-amphibious, able to breathe air and travel short distances over land, which it uses to migrate from one pond to another. It has a number of small whisker-like protrusions near its mouth that it uses to sense its environment, causing some people to compare it to a tiny catfish.

Ecology and Habitats

In its native environment, the Sngaorotrei lives in hot muddy ponds found on the island of Kaoh. These pools are often as much mud as water, and the Sngaorotrei does not so much swim in them as it wriggles through it. It is able to leave the ponds for short periods of time and slither across the rocks to another pool, but cannot live outside them indefinitely. Even when kept in the warmth and shelter of a stewpot, the Sngaorotrei must eventually be returned to the mud or it will perish.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Sngaorotrei is an omnivore whose diet is largely made up of insects, preying on the many species present on Kaoh. Since insects are also a major component of Kaoh cuisine, they find many delightful things to eat when in the stewpot.

Geographic Distribution

• Kaoh

Ahar Kaoh - the Cuisine of Kaoh

The remote island of Kaoh is known for its unique cuisine, unlike any found elsewhere in the Great Ring. While the Sngaorotrei is one of the best known elements of Ahar Kaoh, it has more surprises in store for the adventerous eater. You can read more about Ahar Kaoh here.

The People of Kaoh

Kaoh is one of the most remote islands in the Great Ring, and its people are among the most unusual. Born equally from humans, Naga, and the dreams of a sleeping god, the Anak Kaoh are hatched with knowledge of a world only dreamt of, but that they believe represents a glorious future they will inherit. You can read more about the Anak Kaoh here.

Dreams Made Flesh

Like the entire island of Kaoh and its people, the Sngaorotrei were created out of the dreams of the sleeping god Kaoh Piphop Soben, Kaoh the Worlddreamer. You can read more about this god here.