Mentaiko Lumache (2024)

FAQs

What is mentaiko sauce made of? ›

Mentaiko is seasoned pollock roe that has been salted and marinated. Unseasoned pollock roe is actually called Tarako, which is more pink. Some mentaiko can be spicy, and it is actually called Karashi Mentaiko. It is seasoned with red chilli pepper sauce, so if you like your food spicy, this will be up your alley.

The Japanese eat mentaiko as a side dish to accompany steamed rice like tsukemono, a topping for Ochazuke, or a filling inside Onigiri rice balls. You can eat it either raw, cooked, or grilled.

Tarako and mentaiko add oomph to potato salad and cream cheese, and fried chicken is a satisfying end to a summer Sunday.

Quick & Easy Mentaiko Pasta

However, its flavor definitely packs a punch. The reason why this recipe is quick and easy to prepare is that you don't need to cook mentaiko and cream sauce. Simply prepare the cream sauce while boiling pasta, and toss and coat the mentaiko mixture with cooked pasta and you're done!

The saltiness comes from the curing process, while the spiciness is from the chili peppers and the sweetness is gotten from the mirin (sweet rice wine) used in the marinade process. In conclusion, the flavor of Mentaiko is savory and bold, with a distinctive umami taste.

I don't recommend you eat it beyond a couple of days because the mentaiko might go bad. Plus, the rice will turn hard and clumpy the longer you store it in the fridge, making it unpleasant to eat. You'll know when mentaiko onigiri has gone bad when it has an off-color and smell.

Japan. Mentaiko, adapted from Korean myeongnan-jeot, hence the name mentai (derived from the Korean myeongtae, 명태, 明太, meaning pollack) + ko (Korean 알, 子, meaning baby/roe), is common in Japan. It is made in a variety of flavors and colors and is available at airports and main train stations.

Health Benefits of Mentaiko

Mentaiko also contains protein and essential nutrients, making it a nutritious addition to a balanced diet.

Home cooks can do well with buying frozen mentaiko and using this to cook with. Stored fresh in the fridge, it should keep for around two weeks.

Think of karashi mentaiko, or sacs of salted cod roe that have been marinated in powdered chiles and spices, as caviar's Japanese cousin. Spicy and mildly fishy, it has lurked flirtatiously on restaurant menus and in international snack aisles for the last decade.

Can i fry mentaiko? ›

Tarako and mentaiko can quickly be heated up in a pan, mixed with pasta, used as stuffing for rice balls or in rice dishes, deep-fried, used as a garnish in sushi, or mixed with mayo to make dips and spreads.

"Mentaiko", or "pollock roe", is made by salting the ovaries of the walleye pollock and soaking them in a seasoning liquid made spicy by capsicum, a spice that has been used in Japan for centuries. It has come to be known as "Japanese caviar."

Mentaiko is roe from the pollock. It's popular not just in Japan, but also in Korea, where it's called myeongnan-jeot and from where its culinary origins come. Just like pretty much all roe, mentaiko eggs are smaller than the substantial ikura.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Mentaiko (Cod Roe) - You can probably find this at many Asian markets. It is often called pollack roe or salted cod roe. Alternatively, if you can find a jar of tarama (from the Greek taramasalata dip), that is very similar.

In addition to its delicious flavor, mentaiko also offers some health benefits. It is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for their heart-healthy properties. Mentaiko also contains protein and essential nutrients, making it a nutritious addition to a balanced diet.

Tarako / salted cod (or pollak) roe (たらこ in Japanese) is made from salted walleye pollack eggs, meanwhile mentaiko / spicy cod (or pollak) roe (明太子 in Japanese) is salted walleye pollack eggs seasoned with dashi, red chilli peppers, and more.

This is actually Spicy Cod Roe Sauce made in Japan. Mentaiko is traditional Japanese seafood ingredient, consisting of pollock roe from the Alaskan pollock, which is of the cod family. The Alaskan pollock is not a pollock in itself, but a cod; thus, tarako and mentaiko are also referred to as cod roe.