Why Stockfish Is So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Insider Business

Finally, a product which is inflated in price due to real market and social conditions and not just because of hype or percieved luxuriousness. This is an important episode indeed

Beautiful story, found out years ago that all our stockfish come from Norway, but only just finding out it's because Norway aided Nigeria with stockfish during the Biafran civil war. As someone whose dad lost all his siblings during the civil war, some due to malnutrition (kwashiorkor et al), and whose dad survived due to aid nutrition, am glad the Norwegian economy is now benefiting from that goodwill as we benefited during the war. Watching this video as I eat a meal prepared with grounded stockfish.

This fish saved my dad during the Civil War. Him and many other children then had chronic protein deficiency. The Norway helped and brought protein for them. It saved millions of lives then and we developed appetite for it. The Norwegians did great thing for me, I will be eternally grateful. I wouldn't be born if my dad had died.

As a Nigerian living in Canada, I often receive negative attention when I cook stockfish. Moreover, I have to be cautious not to bring food with the stockfish aroma to work if I don't want people to dislike it. I used to believe that stockfish was exclusively a Nigerian delicacy, although I didn't know the source. Interestingly, the smell of stockfish is reminiscent of another beloved ingredient, locust beans. I used to associate stockfish with Nigeria and vice versa, so I was quite surprised to learn that it originated from the white people. Additionally, I appreciate the story of how the Norwegian people supported Nigeria by providing stockfish.

As a Nigerian that grew up in Nigeria, eating Nigerian food, I can tell you that we use stock fish in almost all our soups, especially the soups with palm oil. The umami flavour that stock fish gives is unmatched🔥🔥 Very surprised to learn that it comes from Norway. Thank you Insider for this intelligent video👏🏼👏🏼

As a Norwegian, i am shocked and soooo suprised we actually Export almost 100% of our Stock fish. That finally answers my question of where All the fish they producer goes - cuz i have literally never seen it for sale here!

For those who didn't know, the unique conditions in Norway being cold & dry air, makes it different to dried fish in the Sun that is produced elsewhere. The Cod (stockfish) basically undergo a slow fermentation while it has moisture for a month or so before it begins to dry out. This is why the taste is so intense and the aroma is pungent. Whereas dried fish from direct Sun in hot climates, you just get dried fish.. none of the funky strong flavors or extra umami via fermentation.

Fascinating story. I never knew Nigeria and Norway were so connected!! I wish we got to know deeper how stockfish was introduced into Nigerian cuisine in the beginning until eventually being an integral part of the cuisine. Either way, cool!!

There is something magical about a country falling in love with another's product, and then completely integrating it into their culture. I don't know what it is, maybe the unlikely match, or the sheer distance between them but it's beautiful TRY NOT TO START ARGUMENTS UNDER A COMMENT CHALLENGE 😱 IMPOSSIBLE 😱

Dried cod is to Nigeria basically what Spam is to Hawaii, which also began its climb to prominence, first as an emergency protein food source (in this case WW2 Army rations) and soon became an integral part of the local cuisine - spam sushi being an underrated delicacy.

I’m a American born to Nigerian parents. Stock fish was a part of my childhood. If you asked me I would have sworn it came from Nigeria. Interesting video

As a Norwegian who was born in Lofoten (one of the most beautiful places on earth) I have never considered eating stockfish until now. The dish the chef made looked amazing. The love, devotion, and care was beautiful, and it really looked good. In Norway, we’ve never considered using it this way. People just used to chew it lol, which is a horrible experience and the stench would kill you, and everyone around you 😂. It’s sad that they call it “local” when it’s coming from so far away. I guess that’s what happens after having been in their cuisine for the last 50 years. Great video nonetheless!

As a Nigerian, stock fish is very vital in our cuisines, cos it gives a special kind of texture and aroma. When used in a soup we call "Ogbono", the taste becomes yummy😅😂

What a story: Norway provides stockfish to fight hunger in Nigeria in their time of need, and that create a whole culinary culture around stockfish, which cannot even be created in Nigeria, so they keep importing it from Norway. History has many twists and turns.

i never would have thought Norway and Nigeria were so intimately linked by cod.... actually this is pretty adorable. "whenever we thought we found a new market, its actually the Nigerians living abroad"

As a Nigerian, even seeing the uncooked stockfish makes my mouth water cause I know just how delicious it'll be once cooked. Now I know how it's made and that it seems we're the only ones in the world that eat it. If that type of cod goes extinct, I'll know exactly who did it lol

It's very nice that Norway's good deed back in the day has created a whole market and helped to boost their economy in the long run.

The markup between raw ingredients and finished product actually makes sense here. The dried stock fish is much more expensive than what they gave the fisherman for the cod, but the dried is a fraction of the weight and then you have the processing and transportation costs added in.

As a Norwegian who have been up north multiple times and seen (and tasted) these fish, I had no clue so much of it is sent to Nigeria!

Stockfish is the most important flavour ingredient in most Nigerian soups but chefs even use it for Rice dishes as well. Would love to visit these fishing villages one day