Fish eggs
The egg masses of fish or their ripe internal ovaries are called roe (gyoran). Both raw and cooked, roe is a popular food in Japan. We find the following types:
The egg masses of fish or their ripe internal ovaries are called roe (gyoran). Both raw and cooked, roe is a popular food in Japan. We find the following types:
[Ikura]
- Ikura or salmon roe. The term is a loan word from the Russian ikra, caviar. Although not as precious as its Russian namesake, the bead-like ikura-spheres have a beautiful orange color and taste deliciously. Ikura is popular sushi topping and is also used in chirashi-zushi and onigiri. Sujiko is "salmon roe in one piece," still inside its sack when it is prepared. It is darker in color than ikura.
- Kazunoko or herring roe, usually salted. Kazunoko is yellow and has a firm, rubbery texture. The roe is flavored with soy sauce before eating. Besides being a topping for sushi, kazunoko also is a popular item in Osechi Ryori, the special New Year's meal.
- Mentaiko or Alaska pollack (cod) roe, marinated and spiced with powdered chili pepper and surrounded by a thin, elastic membrane. A specialty of Hakata (Kyushu). Mentaiko is usually pink to dark red. Tarako is a plain, salted version of the same cod roe, not as heavily flavored as mentaiko.
- Uni, the orange or pale yellow ovaries of the sea urchin, a great delicacy. It is soft and melts on the tongue. It is a popular topping of sushi, and is used in a variety of other ways in the Japanese kitchen.
- Karasumi or dried, salted mullet roe). Eaten as it is in thin slices, espcially as otsumami with sake.