Sinki is a traditional fermented and sun-dried radish preparation rooted in the Terai and hill kitchens of Nepal, including the Madhesh belt of Mithila. The radish taproot (not the leaves, which become gundruk) is grated, packed tightly and left to ferment for weeks until it turns sour, then sun-dried into a storable form that survives the lean months.
In the kitchen, dried sinki is soaked and made into a simple, warming sour soup (jhol): the slivers are sautéed with tomato and chilli in mustard oil, seasoned with turmeric and salt, and simmered until tender, then ladled over rice. It is a frugal, probiotic-rich winter food prepared as a household craft, traditionally led by rural women and passed down through generations — a Madhesh contribution to the broader Maithil table. (Shared across several Himalayan/Terai communities, so not exclusively Maithil.)
