Tarako

Cod ovaries, called tarako, are available at the fish counters of supermarkets in Japan. Sold in pairs, cod ovaries are usually simply grilled (broiled) to eat with boiled rice. Mentaiko is a salted version and karashi mentaiko is a pungent chilli type. Tarako are normally coloured slightly red with vegetable colouring to make them look more attractive. Tarako is used for norimaki (nori-rolled sushi) and also for making hors d’oeuvres.