A small herring or sprat fish, often canned and sold as food, particularly popular in Scandinavian and northern European cuisine.
From Norwegian and Swedish 'brisling,' originally the name for a small fish species found in Nordic waters. The word entered English through trade with Scandinavian countries.
Brislings are tiny—usually no more than a few inches long—yet they're packed with omega-3s and have been a nutritional staple for Nordic peoples for centuries, showing how size doesn't determine nutritional or cultural value.
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