Roe

Roe is the fully ripe egg masses of fish and certain marine animals, such as sea urchin, shrimp and scallop. As a seafood it is used both as a cooked ingredient in many dishes and as a raw ingredient.

Caviar is a name for processed, salted roe consumed as a delicacy.

Soft Roe or white roe is not roe at all, but fish milt.

Salmon roe at the Shiogama seafood market in Japan

Around the world

Asia

India

Roe from the Hilsa fish is considered a delicacy in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The roe is usually deep-fried, although other preparations such as mashed roe where the roe crushed along with oil, onion & pepper, or curry of roe could also be found. In the state of Kerala roe is deep fried in coconut oil and is considered a delicacy. Among the tribal populace, deeply-roasted roe in open fire (much like marshmallows) is a delicacy. In this region, the roe of rohu is also considered a delicacy and is eaten fried or as a stuffing within a fried pointed gourd to make potoler dolma. The roe of sardines and black mackerel and several others are a delicacy all along the Konkan coast and Northern Kerala and is eaten fried(after being coated with red chilli paste) and also as a thick curry(gashi). In Kerala, a common method of quick preparation is by wrapping the roe in wet banana leaves and cooking over charcoal embers.

Iran

In Caspian provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, several types of roe are used. Called Ashpal or Ashbal, roe can be consumed grilled, cured, salted, or mixed with other ingredients. If salted or cured, it is consumed as a condiment. If used fresh, it is usually grilled, steamed, or mixed with eggs and fried to form a custard-like dish called "Ashpal Kuku".

Besides the much sought-after caviar, roe from Kutum (also known as Caspian White Fish or Rutilus Frisii Kutum), Roach (called "Kuli" in Gileki), Bream (called "Kulmeh" in Gileki), and Caspian Salmon are highly prized. Roe from Carp is less common and Barbel roe is also occasionally used.

Japan

Ikuradon, a bowl of rice topped with salmon roe.

A variety of roe types are used in Japanese cuisine, including the following which are used raw in sushi:

• Ikura (いくら) - Salmon roe. Large reddish-orange individual spheres. Since salmon eggs are also used as bait, first-time sushi eaters who have experienced fishing may be taken aback when served ikura. It is a loan word from the Russian, "ikra" (caviar).
• Sujiko (すじこ) - Also salmon roe. The difference is that sujiko is still inside its sack when it is prepared. It also has a different color; sujiko is red to dark-red while ikura is lighter in color, sometimes almost orange. Sujiko is also sweeter in taste.
• Masago - Smelt roe, similar to Tobiko, but smaller.
• Kazunoko (数の子/鯑) - Herring roe, yellow or pinkish, having a firm, rubbery texture and appearance, usually pickled. The roe is in a single cohesive mass and so looks like a piece of fish.
• Mentaiko (明太子) - Alaska pollock roe, spiced with powdered red pepper and surrounded by a thin, elastic membrane. Mentaiko is usually pink to dark red.
• Tarako (たらこ) - Salted Alaska pollock roe, sometimes grilled.
• Tobiko (飛び子) - Flyingfish roe, very crunchy, reddish orange in color.

Sea urchin roe.

• Uni (うに, 雲丹) - Sea urchin roe, soft and melting. Color ranges from orange to pale yellow. Humans consume the reproductive organs ("roe") either raw or briefly cooked. Sea urchin roe is a popular food in Korean cuisine, and it is called "uni" in Japanese sushi cuisine. It is also a traditional food in Chile, known as an "erizo". Apart from domestic consumption, Chile and a number of other countries export the sea urchin to Japan in order to meet its demand throughout the country. Traditionally considered an aphrodisiac, sea urchin roe has been found to contain the cannabinoid anandamide.
• Karasumi (カラスミ, 鱲子) - is a specialty of Nagasaki and along with salt-pickled sea urchin roe and Konowata one of the three chinmi of Japan . It is made by desalinating salt pickled mullet roe and drying it by the sunlight.

Korea

Myeongran jeot (명란젓) refers to the jeotgal (salted fermented seafood) made with pollock roe seasoned with chili pepper powders. It is commonly consumed as banchan, small dish accompanied with cooked rice or ingredient for altang (알탕), a kind of jjigae (Korean stew). Mentaiko in Japanese cuisine was derived from Myeongran jeot.

Europe

Denmark

Lumpfish (stenbider) roe is used extensively in Danish cuisine, on top of halved or sliced hard-boiled eggs, on top of mounds of shrimp, or in combination with other fish or seafood. Another commonly eaten roe is that from the cod (torsk).

Greece

Taramosalata, salad made with tarama

Main article: Tarama

Tarama is salted and cured carp roe used to make taramosalata, a Greek and Turkish meze consisting of tarama mixed with lemon juice, bread crumbs, onions, and olive oil; it is eaten as a dip.

Also, avgotaraho (αυγοτάραχο) is a delicacy made of mullet roe, mainly produced in Messologgi, considered equal, if not superior, to red caviar.

Italy

Bottarga is the salted and dried roe pouch of Gray Mullet, used as a topping and for dressing pasta.

Norway

Norwegian caviar is most commonly made from cod, but caviar made from lumpsucker or capelin roe is also available.

In some areas it is also common to fry the roe from freshly-caught fish, to be eaten on bread or with potatoes and flatbread.

Sweden

Smoked and salted cod roe paste, commonly served as sandwich topping is very popular in Sweden. The most famous brand being Kalles Kaviar.

United Kingdom

Roe consumed within the UK is generally soft roe as opposed to hard roe. Though not extremely popular, herring roe is sold within many British supermarkets. Battered cod roe can also be bought within many fish and chip shops, mainly around the Midlands area. Various tinned roes are on sale in supermarkets e.g soft cod roes, pressed cod roes and herring roes.

United States

Shad roe is a seasonal delicacy eagerly looked forward to in the spring. Shad roe is usually fried and served with mashed potatoes or on grits. It may also be sold fried or boiled