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Stockfish is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks (which are called "hjell" in Norway) on the foreshore. The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. The method is cheap and effective in suitable climates; the work can be done by the fisherman and family, and the resulting product is easily transported to market.Stockfish is cured in a process called fermentation where cold-adapted bacteria matures the fish, similar to the maturing process of cheese. Clipfish is processed in a chemical curing process called salt-maturing, similar to the maturing processes of other salt-matured products such as Parma ham.
Stockfish is popular in West Africa, where it is used in the many soups that complement the grain staples fufu and garri. In the Southwestern part of Nigeria among the Yoruba, it is called panla. Also the main ingredient in the Igbo snack called "Ugba na Okporoko" or "ukazi" amongst the Ohafia people in Abia state in Nigeria. In Abia stockfish is quite popular and a regular ingredient in many local delicacies. Most importers of "okporoko" are based in the town of Aba in Abia State. Among the Umuahia people, at festive periods, the best staple is the Ukazi soup which must necessarily be very well garnished with okporoko or Cod as it is popularly called.



