Karasumi

Karasumi
Mullet roe drying. The roe sac is deveined, and progressively pressed, dehydrated and salted until the desired firmness or texture is achieved. Mullet roe is considered a delicacy in Taiwan as well as in Japan.
Japanese name
Kanji	唐墨, 鱲子
Katakana	カラスミ
Rōmaji	karasumi

Karasumi is a food product made by salting mullet roe pouch and drying it in sunlight. A theory suggests that it got its name from its resemblance to the blocks of sumi (inkstick) imported from China (Kara) for use in Japanese calligraphy.[1] Karasumi is a high priced delicacy and it is eaten while drinking sake. It is a softer analog of Mediterranean Bottarga.

Karasumi drying

It is a speciality of Nagasaki and along with salt-pickled sea urchin roe and Konowata one of the "three chinmi of Japan".

The town of Donggang in Taiwan specializes in the delicacy, called wuyutsu (Chinese: 烏魚子). Mullet fishing in Taiwan can be traced back to when the island was under Dutch colonial rule.[2]

See also

• Bottarga
• Eoran
• List of delicacies

References

1. Sanmi Sasaki; Shaun McCabe; Satoko Iwasaki (2002). Chado: The Way of Tea. Tuttle Publishing. p. 571.
2. "Mullet roe brings gold to Taiwan's fishermen". Taiwan Today. February 19, 2012. Retrieved 2016-06-03.