Karasumi (known as Bottarga) is made all over the world and is one of my all time favorite Japanese delicacies. Popular and well-known around the Mediterranean, very few North Americans even know about it.

Made from silver mullet roe, it is cured in its original sac by using various methods and then preserved in wax or kept as it is. Japan’s Karsumi can be exceptional and those homemade versions have a depth of taste that is unparalleled.

It isn’t just about using any fish roe, or any product, it’s about the precision taken when curing the fish roe and the dedication to making it as perfect as possible. The processes used to cure it is simple and the end result is a “balanced taste”, it shouldn’t be too salty, and the texture neither too dry. A good quality bottarga in Japan can cost as much as $500+, while the Taiwanese versions are much less expensive. This version was made in Kyoto by a friend.

Here is a prior posting:http://mesubim.com/2013/05/23/carpaccio-karasumi/