A delicacy of Japanese cuisine Kazunoko, an essential part of Osechi dishes

Kazunoko has long been prized in Japan not only for its auspiciousness, meaning prosperity of offspring, but also because of its piquant texture and beautiful appearance.

Kazukinoko are herring roe nests that have been preserved in salt or dried in the sun. It has a long history, and there is a record that it was presented to the Muromachi period (1336-1573) Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

Due to the large number of kernels, herring roe is considered a good-luck charm that leads to "prosperity of offspring," and in the Edo period (1603-1867), it was a popular staple of osechi dishes among the general public.

 As we begin to hear the sound of the end of the year, "Kazunoko" (herring roe) begins to decorate stores with its lively decorations. Hatchling juveniles are an essential part of Osechi cuisine, and are sometimes called "yellow diamonds" because of their high price and beautiful appearance. Although herring roe is a common part of the New Year's table, surprisingly few people have ever taken a deep interest in them.

”Kazunoko"is a fish roe

Kazunoko is the roe of herring. It is an indispensable ingredient for New Year's osechi.

At one time, when herring roe was in short supply, capelin roe was used as a substitute.

Recently, however, since herring roe has become steadily imported not only from the Pacific but also from the Atlantic, herring roe as a substitute is now rarely seen.

Nowadays, Japan is increasingly "outbidding" other countries for fish due to global health consciousness, development of distribution and preservation technology, and new international competition. However, few other countries have the custom of eating herring roe, and Japan is still the world's largest consumer.

Kinds of Kazunoko

There are two types of herring roe with different textures and tastes depending on the method of preservation.

The first is the Pacific herring roe, which has a crunchy and bursting texture. They are imported mainly from the United States and Canada for use in salted herring roe.

They are processed and marketed in the Rumoi area of Hokkaido, where many herring used to be landed in the past.

The other type of herring roe is "seasoned Kazunoko," which is pickled in a seasoning solution. The eggs are soaked in flavor and do not need to be desalted. Compared to salted herring roe, the texture of salted herring roe is less crunchy, and the price is lower than that of Pacific herring roe.

The roe is removed from herring caught mainly in the Atlantic Ocean in Eastern Canada and other areas, seasoned, and imported frozen.

European herring are divided into several stocks (groups of fish), each of which is properly managed.

Some lay their eggs in the Norwegian coast in the spring, some in the North Sea (near England) in the summer and fall, and some in the Strait of Dover (between England and France) at the end of the year. The color and size of the eggs also vary slightly.

Reasons for including Kazunoko in Osechi dishes

Since the herring lays many eggs, the number of offspring is considered a symbol of prosperity and fertility. Furthermore, it is still a staple of Osechi dishes today, with the wish that healthy offspring will be born from two parents (herring) and prosper from generation to generation.

Although the texture of herring roe is pleasant, the roe itself does not have much flavor. To season the roe, it is made by removing the salt from salted herring roe or sun-drying herring roe and then marinating them in a mixture of dashi (Japanese soup stock), soy sauce, and mirin (sweet sake).

While commercially available seasoned herring roe is available, homemade seasoned herring roe made by removing salt from salted herring roe allows you to adjust the amount of seasoning to your liking. The key to making homemade seasoned herring roe is not to remove too much salt from the herring roe.