Gagh (also known as ghargh) is a worm that is prized by Klingons as a live food. It is perhaps the most representative Klingon food and certainly the best known outside of the Klingon Empire. (ST reference: Klingon for the Galactic Traveler)

History and specifics

Gagh worms that are intended to be served are fed only a mixture of diluted blood, which they find very unappetizing and therefore only consume when they are nearly starving. The type of animal from which the blood has been taken greatly influences the eventual flavor. Just prior to being served, the worms are poured into a bowl of thick sauce that contains an extremely flavorful herb that the worms find very delicious, and devour, even though it is toxic to them, and kills them within minutes. Gagh is considered best consumed live, therefore it is customary to eat it as quickly as possible. If the worms cannot be eaten before they all die, then the entire mixture is saved and heated up later as a sort of stew. (ST reference: Klingon for the Galactic Traveler)

Whilst the dish is intended to be eaten live, it is not swallowed live. Instead, the worm is killed between the teeth, with the blood being consumed as a delicacy. Swallowing live gagh results in the worm surviving in the intestines as a parasite. William Riker discovered this fact after serving aboard the IKS Pagh in 2365, as part of the Officer Exchange Program. (TNG episode: "A Matter of Honor", ST - A Time to... novel: A Time to Kill)

There are more than fifty-one varieties of gagh. They include bithool gagh, torgud gagh, filden gagh, meshta gagh and wistan gagh. Curzon Dax and Jadzia Dax enjoyed the varieties, although Ezri Dax did not. (DS9 episode: "Prodigal Daughter")

The phrase "kill gagh" is a Klingon expression that means be counterproductive, as gagh is best eaten live. It is used in phrases such as, "If you destroy the merchant ship, you kill gagh." (ST reference: Klingon for the Galactic Traveler)

Some prefer racht, the other live worm dish. (TNG novel: Before Dishonor)

Bithool gagh was preferred by B'Elanna Torres. (ST reference: Star Trek Cookbook)

Gagh is also commonly eaten by sea pochtoQs. (ST novel: Excelsior: Forged in Fire)

Appendices

Connections

Klingon foods and beverages
foods	aaktay • baghol soup • battertoast • berena • bithool gagh • bok-rat liver • bregit lung • deviled potatoes • Durani lizard skins • filden gagh • gafgeg • gagh (bithool gagh • filden gagh • meshta gagh • torgud gagh • wistan gagh) • garbat • gargara dakria • gladst • gonklik • grapok sauce • heart of targ • Hurkik • jInjoq bread • ka'Tarlk • kiros kai faki • Klingon shell squid • Klingon-ayse • krada legs • kradge tail • lakana • lIngta' • meshta gagh • na'ran • ooruni kapiki • peb'ot • peppadugh spice • pipius claw • racht • ramjep egg soup • rokeg blood pie • ryparia sauron • seetos lagon • skull stew • taknar gizzard • Tashmanian spider • tKnag • torgud gagh • trigak • wistan gagh • zilm'kach
beverages	bahgol • bloodwine • dirt beer • Klingon ale • Klingon martini • Klingon tea • Kolothian whipcrack • Qo'noS CoolatA • raktajino • warnog

the planet Qo'noS
cities and settlements	An'quat • D'Takka • Emperor Kahless Military City • First City (Old Quarter) • Ha'r Kling Jaa • H'Vek Tar • Khal • Khinah • Kl'alath • Kopf's Cliff • Krennla (Baldi'maj District • Kenta District) • Kri'stak City • L'chorta • Lhess Taal Dax • L'vln Lak Raal • Lyn'Knor Tak • Mor'em Cha • M'riiah • Navarath • NarOs • Novat • Qam-Chee • Qa'yarin • Quin'lat • Saqwa' • Serra'nob • Szlar'it • T'chariv • Tisur • Tolar'tu • Tong Vey • T'Val K'rang • V'hechess • Ya'Koraq
landmarks and institutions	Combat Testing Center • Du'Hurgh • Federation Embassy on Qo'noS • First Hospital • Flame Cliffs of Kutabi • Goqlath Castle • Great Domes of Qo'noS • Great Hall • Hall of Heroes • Hall of Honor • Kilgore Landing Bay • Klingon Defense Force Command Headquarters • Lukara Edifice • Museum of Military Triumph and Conquest • Orion outpost • Palace of Kahless • Place of Honor • Tactical College • Taklar Temple • Temple of Molgar • Temple of Rogax • TengchaH Jav • Three Turn Bridge • TlhIng Veng laboratory • R'kalla Square • Vulcan Cuisine
nations and provinces	Ketha • Khlaru • Mekro'vak
geography	Almron Preserve • BIng'av Mountains • Caves of Kahless • Caves of No'Mat • Chak'ok • Cybriss Valley • DuHoH Desert • Fesh'rin Hills • Kutabi • Gharhuil • Hamar Mountains • HatlhHurgh • Jungles of Kintak • Kang's Summit • Kannaga Mountains • Karak Summit • Kartade Forest • Ka'Toth plains • Ketha Lowlands • Kol'Vat • Kri'stak volcano • Mount Batlhqui • Mount Vor • Nagh Be'nImey • Ona'ja'bur • Qimpo • Qo'dung Mountains • Qora Forest • Qualnagh Mountains • Shrana • Sutor Mountains • S'zlach • Tiv'ranisch • Tl'Gekh • TlhIngtuj Mountains • Tor'aq • Uhq'ra' Mountains
bodies of water	BIQ'a'bIng Ocean • BIQ'a'dung Ocean • Chu'paq Sea • Sea of Gatan • HoSghaj River • Lake Lusor • NIHbIQ'a' Ocean • PoSbIQ'a' Ocean • Qam-Chee River • Skral River
flora and fauna	blas rika • bok-rat • bregit • brush devil • chuSwI' • cob'lat • firespitter • gagh • ghIq • glob fly • grint hound • grishnar • khrun • klongat • Kolar beast • krada • kradge • kraw'za • krencha • lIngta' • lotlhmoq • minn'hor • norgh • Qogh • pherza • pipius • prickle mouse • puris • racht • ramjep • ratifer • sabre bear • sark • sea pochtoQ • serpent worm • shell squid • s'tarahk • tak • taknar • targ • Tashmanian spider • to'baj • yolok

External link

• Gagh article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.