From Scandinavia to the northern parts of the Far East, is
cod roe caviar the most versatile of the more sustainable substitutes of the
Beluga caviar?
By: Ringo Bones
Kalles Kaviar and related cod roe recipes may be a runaway
Scandinavian / North Atlantic haute cuisine, but did you know that in the
northern part of the Far East, a somewhat similar dish also exist? A Far
Eastern form of this gourmet roe caviar also raised online controversy that
could, might as well be, the greatest viral marketing for this product. Have
you ever heard of the Japanese cod roe flavored mayonnaise that is sold in
sheet form?
On February 20, 2020, the Japanese snack company Bourbon
announced that its new “Mayonnaise Sheet” product will be available in stores
starting the second day of March. The announcement has sparked a discussion
online, eliciting mixed reactions from mayonnaise lovers and haters. The mayonnaise
sheets come in tuna mayo flavor and a menta mayo flavor – which is made to
taste like mentaiko – a traditional Japanese spicy cod roe sauce that has its
origins from Korea.
Japanese spicy cod roe is sometimes referred to as karashi
mentaiko, which means spicy pollack or cod roe. “Karashi” means spicy in Japanese, so karashi
mentaiko is the spicy version of mentaiko. Originally a traditional Korean
cuisine, mentaiko became popular in Japan after World War II.
Cod is a fish that is among the most valuable food resources
of the northern seas. Cod is the name given to certain species of the genus
Gaddus. It is also the name for the entire family of fish that includes not
only those species but also the haddock, pollack and whiting. The Atlantic cod,
Gaddus callarias, is the most important species. It is found on both sides of
the North Atlantic and as far south as Virginia on the American coast. The fish
lives commonly on the North Atlantic banks, over hard bottom in water 30 to 60
fathoms deep. The Atlantic cod is identified by its three dorsal and two anal
fins, small fleshy barbel on the chin and spotted body.
Fish taken along the shore average about 10 to 12 pounds and
are about 30 inches long, on the banks they sometimes develop to tremendous
size. The record weight of cod is 211 pounds. Shellfish and other bottom-dwelling
organisms furnish most of its food. The cod spawns chiefly in winter. While the
eggs, larvae and young drift on the surface with the current, the adults
migrate extensively.
The cod fisheries of the North American banks yield over a
billion pounds of fish annually to the markets of the United States, Canada and
Europe. Much of the codfish is marketed fresh or frozen and a small quantity is
smoked and salted. Cod liver oil is one of the principal sources of vitamin D.
A type of high-quality glue is made from the skins of cod. Cod was a more
important resource during the 19th Century when salting was the only
economical way of preserving fish because its white flaky flesh is well adapted
for drying and salting.
The Pacific cod, Gaddus macrocephalus, is similar to the
Atlantic cod but smaller. It is abundant in the North Pacific region and is an
important Japanese food fish. The cods are classified in the order Gadiformes,
family Gadidae (cod).
