Salted pollock roe is a popular culinary ingredient in Korean, Japanese, and Russian cuisines
Traded volumes and prices of Pollock and Cod roe (tarako and mentaiko) at Tokyio Central Fish Market
JAPAN
Friday, January 24, 2020, 00:30 (GMT + 9)
One food which we consider uniquely Japanese is tarako, also mistakenly referred to as mentaiko. This article explains the subtle difference between these two types of pollock (or cod) roe and how some Japanese prefer one over the other.
Tarako
Tarako is plain, salted sacks of pollock or cod roe. The tiny roe are packed tightly together and encased in a very thin membrane. It is the roe of the Alaskan pollock fish, which is part of the cod family. The Japanese word, tarako, literally translates to children of cod: “tara” meaning cod, and “ko” which means children. Tarako is typically sold raw, and usually identified by its neutral color which is a nude, almost beige, with light pink undertones.
Pollock roe
Mentaiko
Mentaiko is identical to tarako in that it is a sack of salted cod roe, but differ from tarako in that the roe is marinated in different seasonings and spices to create an array of subtly different flavor profiles. You’ll find that raw mentaiko is offered in different colors, ranging from a muted pink to bright red, depending on the food manufacturer. Mentaiko is sometimes referred to as “karashi mentaiko”.(source: Judy Ung/thespruceeats.com)
Source: FIS.com | Click to enlarge it
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