Cibulyne

May 1, 2026

Greetings to Algimantas Malūkas, thank you for the recipe!

Recipe

Recipe makes 4 servings

You will need

1. 1 salted herring with entrails

2. 2 large onions

3. Salt (depending on the saltiness of the herring)

4. Half a teaspoon of ground black pepper

5. 1 litre of boiled and cooled water

6. 1–3 tablespoons of vinegar

   Note: white wine vinegar usually requires more, while 9% table vinegar requires less. Note: red wine vinegar is not suitable, as it will discolour the soup.

7. 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds

8. 4 large potatoes

9. Optional: various herbs, e.g. parsley, dill, coriander

Preparation

Preparing the herring

The fish can be prepared in two ways:

1. Pan-fry the fish.
2. Grill the fish over embers or bake in the oven.

Note: the traditional method is to grill over embers or bake in the oven.

Pan-frying

1. Fillet the herring (gut the fish, remove the backbone and head)

2. Rinse and pat dry

3. Heat a pan without oil

4. Fry the fish, turning occasionally, for ~20–40 min

   Note: while the fish is frying, you can start the broth preparation step

5. Fry until the fish becomes dry

   Note: keep checking the herring by pressing it with your finger to see if it has firmed up.

6. Remove from the pan and wait for the fish to cool

7. Separate the flesh by removing the bones

Grilling over embers or baking in the oven

1. Gut the herring (leave the backbone and head)

2. Rinse and pat dry

3. Take baking paper or newspaper

4. Moisten the herring and wrap it in the paper to form 2–3 layers

   Moisten the herring

   Centre the herring on the paper

   Start rolling the paper crosswise over the fish

   Then fold in the sides

   Finish rolling the paper

5. Take aluminium foil and wrap in a double layer

6. Grill over embers, turning occasionally, for ~20–40 min

   Note: keep checking the herring by pressing it with your finger to see if it has firmed up.

   Herring baking in the oven

   Herring grilling over embers

7. Remove from the oven or embers and wait for the fish to cool

   Remove from the oven or embers and wait for the fish to cool

8. Peel off the paper

   Peel off the paper

   Finish peeling off the paper

9. Separate the flesh by removing the bones

   Separate the flesh by removing the bones

   Note: make sure to remove even the smallest bones.

Preparing the hemp seeds

1. Place 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds and a pinch of salt in a dry pan (no oil)

2. Toast over low heat, stirring

   Toast over low heat, stirring

3. Keep tasting (you need to catch the right flavour)

4. Once the flavour is right, transfer the seeds to a cold bowl

5. Grind the seeds

Broth preparation

1. Finely chop the onions

2. Place the onions in a pot

3. Add salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of vinegar

4. Pound the onions with a pestle and leave for ~20 min

   Pounded onions

5. Add the prepared herring

6. Add 1–2 teaspoons of hemp seeds

7. Optional: add herbs, e.g. parsley, dill, coriander

8. Stir and leave for 20 min

   Stir

9. Taste and add what is missing, e.g. salt, vinegar

   Note: after adding extra seasoning, it is better to wait ~20 min before tasting again, as the flavour does not always come through immediately

10. Leave in the pot for at least 2 hours

    Note: the longer the soup sits, the better it tastes. It can be left overnight as well

    Can also be stored in a jar

Preparing the potatoes

Note: the potatoes are cooked in their skins, so no peeling is needed.

1. Soak the potatoes and leave for 15 min

2. Scrub well. A sponge can be used

3. Add water, a tablespoon of salt, and the potatoes to a pot

4. Boil for 30–40 min

   Note: the potatoes are done when a knife inserted into them slides in easily.

Serving

• Cibulyne is served with boiled potatoes
• Sour cream dip (kastinys) can be served alongside the potatoes
• The potatoes can also be flavoured with the prepared hemp seeds

Cibulyne with more charred herring and without greens

Enjoy your meal!