Pollock roe

{{short description|Eggs of the pollock fish}} {{Infobox Chinese | title = Alaska pollock roe | float =  | collapse =  | pic = Alaska pollack liver roe milt.jpg | piccap = Alaska pollack's liver (top, center), roe (left), and milt (bottom) | hangul = 명란 | hanja = 明卵 | rr = myeongnan | mr = myŏngnan | lk = Alaska pollock roe | kanji = 鱈子 | kana = たらこ | revhep = tarako | rus = икра минтая | rusr = ikra mintaya }} '''Pollock roe''', also '''pollack roe''' (also known as '''''tarako''''' in Japanese and '''''myeongnan''''' in Korean), is the roe of Alaska pollock (''Gadus chalcogrammus'') which, despite its name, is a species of cod. Salted pollock roe is a popular culinary ingredient in Japanese, Korean and Russian cuisines.

== Names == The purely Korean name for ''pollock'', ''myeongtae'' can be written with Hanja {{lang|zh|明太}} ({{lang|ko-Hang-KR|명태}}), which can be read as ''mentai'' in Japanese. But while the Japanese borrowed this name from Korean and called it ''mentaiko'',<ref name="sugimoto2005"/> the term does not retain the original meaning of plain raw roe, but specifically refers the chili pepper-added cured roe, while salt-cured only types are called ''tarako''.<ref name="sugimoto2005"/><ref name="uchida&watanobe2008"/><ref name="mouritsen&styrbaek2023"/>

=== Korean === As aforementioned, Alaska pollock in Korean is ''myeongtae'' ({{korean|hangul=명태|hanja=明太}}), hence pollock roe is ''myeongnan'' ({{korean|hangul=명란|hanja=明卵|labels=no}}), a contracted form of the compound with +''ran'' or +''nan'' ({{Korean|hangul=란|hanja=卵|labels=no}}) meaning "egg (roe)".

The salted roe dish is called ''myeongnan-jeot'' ({{lang|ko|명란젓}}), being considered a type of ''jeot'' ({{lang|ko|젓}}) or ''jeotgal'', which is a category of salted seafood.

=== Japanese === In Japanese, (salted) pollock roe is called ''tarako'' ({{lang|ja|鱈子}}),<ref name="uchida&watanobe2008"/><ref name="mouritsen&styrbaek2023"/> though it literally means 'cod roe',{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|i.e., {{nihongo||鱈|tara|extra='cod's'}} {{nihongo||子|ko|extra='child'}}, however, since pollock bears the name ''suketōdara'' ({{lang|ja|介党鱈}}) it is linguistically understood to be subtype of the ''tara'' or 'cod', so this is not exactly a misnomer in the Japanese language.}} while true cod roe is distinguished by calling it ''hontarako''.<ref name="oecd-dict-caviar-subst"/><ref name="koizumi2002"/> The pollock roe, also known as ''momijiko'', are usually salted and dyed red.<ref name="oecd-dict-caviar-subst"/><ref name="koizumi2002"/>{{efn|Whereas ''hontarako'' is usually sold raw, to be made into ''nitsuke'' (simmered or braise) or made into the soy sauce preserved ''tsukudani''.<ref name="koizumi2002"/>}}

Pollock roe cured with red chili pepper are {{nihongo|明太子|mentaiko}};<ref name="koizumi2002"/><ref name="uchida&watanobe2008"/> to put it another way, ''mentaiko'' refers to chili-laced versions of ''tarako'', generally speaking,<ref name="sugimoto2005"/> even if not qualified as ''karashi-mentaiko'' with the prefix meaning 'chili'.{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|That is to say, the sources treat ''mentaiko'' and ''karashi-mentaiko'' are synonyms, and thus interchangeable. Note that 'chili' is more formally ''tōgarashi''<ref name="mouritsen&styrbaek2023"/> {{=}} ''tō'' 'foreign, Chinese' + ''karashi'' 'mustard'.<ref name="uchida&watanobe2008"/><ref name="mouritsen&styrbaek2023"/>}}

=== Russian === In Russian, pollock roe is called ''ikra mintaya'' ({{lang|ru|икра минтая}}). This name is also used to refer to salted roe. The Russian word ''ikra'' ({{lang|ru|икра}}) means "roe" and ''mintaya'' ({{lang|ru|минтая}}) is the singular genitive form of {{Transliteration|ru|mintay}} ({{lang|ru|минтай}}), which means Alaska pollock. This word is derived from its Korean cognate, ''myeongtae'' ({{lang|ko|명태}}).

== History ==

=== Korea=== Koreans have been enjoying pollock roe since the Joseon era (1392–1897). One of the earliest mentions are from ''Diary of the Royal Secretariat'', where a 1652 entry stated: "The management administration should be strictly interrogated for bringing in pollock roe instead of cod roe."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=3009090|title=A hit abroad, pollock roe is rallying at home|last=Cha|first=Sang-eun|date=12 September 2015|newspaper=Korea Joongang Daily|access-date=16 December 2016}}</ref> Recipe for salted pollock roe is found in a 19th-century cookbook, ''Siuijeonseo''.

=== Japan === A 1696 Japanese book records the use of Alaska pollock's roe in Hokurikudō.<ref>{{cite web|title=遠藤元閑（1696年）『茶湯献立指南』、「鱈の子は北国より出る名物也」|url=http://archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/wo09/wo09_00624/wo09_00624_0004/wo09_00624_0004_p0014.jpg|format=JPG|website=Archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref>

The dish ''mentaiko'' originates from Korea, but after years of modification, most of the pollock roe consumed in Japan is Japanese mentaiko.<ref name="dailyportalz">{{cite web|url=https://dailyportalz.jp/kiji/180402202486|title=I asked store owner of Fukuya why the mentaiko is a local specialty of Hakata|publisher=dailyportalz|date=2 April 2018}}</ref> <ref name="JACAR">{{cite web|url=https://www.jacar.go.jp/english/newsletter/newsletter_019e/newsletter_019e.html|title=Mentaiko and the Japanese People|publisher=JACAR Newsletter|date=4 February 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014132909/https://www.jacar.go.jp/english/newsletter/newsletter_019e/newsletter_019e.html|archivedate=14 October 2017|accessdate=14 October 2017|author=}}</ref> <ref name="Lotte Hotel Magazine">{{cite web|url=https://www.lottehotelmagazine.com/en/food_style_detail?no=475|title=Busan, the City of Pollock Roe|publisher=Lotte Hotel Magazine|date=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524192055/https://www.lottehotelmagazine.com/en/food_style_detail?no=475|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022|author=}}</ref><ref name="japan-guide.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4811.html|title=Fukuoka Food Guide|publisher=japan-guide.com|date=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524191655/https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4811.html|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022|author=}}</ref><ref name="Plum">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zMaDCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT131|title=The Simple Secrets to Cooking Everything Better|publisher=Plum|isbn=9781743547618|date=27 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524183132/https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=zMaDCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT131&redir_esc=y|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022|author=Preston Matt}}</ref><ref name="Sudachi Recipes">{{cite web|url=https://sudachirecipes.com/mentaiko-pasta-recipe/|title=Japanese Mentaiko Pasta (Cod Roe Spaghetti)|publisher=Sudachi Recipes|date=28 July 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524193324/https://sudachirecipes.com/mentaiko-pasta-recipe/|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022|author=Yuto Omura}}</ref><ref name="Sffood.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.sffood.net/mentaiko-spaghetti-recipe/|title=Mentaiko Spaghetti Recipe (明太子)|publisher=Sffood.net|date=18 September 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524183958/http://www.sffood.net/mentaiko-spaghetti-recipe/|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022|url-status=usurped|author=Grace Keh}}</ref> {{nihongo|Toshio Kawahara|川原俊夫|''Kawahara Toshio''}}, who was born in the city of Busan, Korea during the Japanese occupation, founded the oldest mentaiko company in Japan called "Aji no Mentaiko Fukuya" (:ja:ふくや) after World War II. He made several modifications to myeongnan-jeot to adapt to Japanese tastes and introduced it to Japan as "Karashi mentaiko" (:ja:辛子明太子), its popular name is "mentaiko". The milder, less spicy version is called ''tarako'' ({{lang|ja|鱈子}}) in Japan.<ref name="dailyportalz"/>

== Consumption == {{Infobox food | name = Myeongnan-jeot | image = Myeongnanjeot (pollock roe) 4.jpg | caption = | alternate_name = ''Myeongnan'' ''Myeongnan-jeot'' ''Tarako'' ''Mentaiko'' ''Ikra mintaya'' | country = Korea | region = | national_cuisine = Korean cuisine Japanese cuisine Russian cuisine | creator = | year = | mintime = | maxtime = | type = ''Jeotgal'' | course = ''Banchan'' | served = | main_ingredient = Roe of Alaska pollock | minor_ingredient = | variations = | serving_size = 100 g | calories = | protein = | fat = | carbohydrate = | glycemic_index = | similar_dish = | other = }} {{Infobox Chinese | title = Salted Alaska pollock roe | float =  | collapse =  | pic =  | piccap =  | hangul = 명란젓 | hanja = 明卵젓 | rr = myeongnanjeot | mr = myŏngnanjŏt | lk = Alaska pollock roe ''jeotgal'' | kanji = 鱈子/（辛子）明太子 | kana = たらこ/（からし）めんたいこ | revhep = tarako / (karashi-)mentaiko | rus = икра минтая | rusr = ikra mintaya }}

=== Korea === {{See also|Alaska pollock as food#Korea}} Traditionally, ''myeongnan-jeot'' was made before ''dongji'' (winter solstice). Intact skeins of Alaska pollock roe are washed carefully with salt water, then salted in a sokuri (bamboo basket). The ratio of salt to roe ranges from less than 5:100 to more than 15:100. After 2–3 days, salted and drained roe is marinated for at least a day with fine gochutgaru (chilli powder) and finely minced garlic. ''myeongnan-jeot'' is usually served with sesame seeds or some drops of sesame oil.

''Myeongnan-jeot'', whether raw, dried, and/or cooked, is a common banchan (side dish) and anju (food served with alcoholic beverages). It is also used in a variety of dishes, such as ''gyeran-jjim'' (steamed egg), ''bokkeum-bap'' (fried rice), and recently in Korean-style Italian pasta dishes.

''Myeongnan-jeot'' is a specialty of South Hamgyong Province of North Korea, and Gangwon Province and Busan of South Korea.

<gallery> File:Myeongnanjeot (pollock roe) in a market.jpg|''Myeongnan-jeot'' sold in a market File:Vacuum-packed myeongnanjeot (pollock roe).jpg|Vacuum-packed ''myeongnan-jeot'' File:Myeongnanjeot (pollock roe).jpg|Heavily seasoned ''myeongnan-jeot'' File:Myeongnan-jeot-muchim.jpg|''Myeongnan-jeot-muchim'' (salted pollock roe salad) File:Myeongnan-jeot-gyeran-mari.jpg|''Myeongnan-jeot-gyeran-mari'' (rolled omelette with salted pollock roe) File:Myeongnanjeot (pollock roe) in jjigae.jpg|''Myeongnnan-jeot'' in ''jjigae'' (stew) File:Myeongnanjeot pizza (pollock roe).jpg|''Myeongnan-jeot'' pizza </gallery>

=== Japan=== ''Mentaiko'', adapted from Korean ''myeongnan-jeot'',<ref name="JACAR" /><ref name="Lotte Hotel Magazine" /><ref name="japan-guide.com" /><ref name="Plum" /><ref name="Sudachi Recipes" /><ref name="Sffood.net" /> hence the name mentai (derived from the Korean ''myeongtae'', 명태, 明太, meaning pollack) + ko (Korean 알, 子, meaning baby/roe), is common in Japan. It is made in a variety of flavors and colors and is available at airports and main train stations. It is usually eaten with onigiri, but is also enjoyed by itself with sake. A common variety is {{nihongo|spicy mentaiko|辛子明太子|karashi mentaiko}}. It is a product of the Hakata ward of Fukuoka City. Milder version is called ''tarako'' ({{lang|ja|鱈子}}),

Recently in Japan, mentaiko pasta has become common. Mentaiko is mixed with butter or mayonnaise and used as a sauce for spaghetti. Thin strips of nori (海苔) and shiso leaves are often sprinkled on top.

Pollack roe is dipped in a seasoning liquid. This method was invented in the grocery store "''Fukuya(ふくや)''" and became common in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=産経新聞 |date=2016-10-05 |title=【九州の礎を築いた群像】辛子めんたいこ編（２）誕生 |url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20161005-E5F2H2RITJKJZBLSN2GWUBBRVA/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=産経新聞：産経ニュース |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mentaiko for sale - Hakata Nakasu Aji no Mentaiko Fukuya |url=https://www.fukuya.com/en/?srsltid=AfmBOorb8sbjWxTdoJrqHDVSkT_coimAyK8KfGLfOBlNVY0vz8L25lAn |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=味の明太子ふくや |language=ja}}</ref>

Mentaiko was nominated as Japan's number one side dish in the Japanese weekly magazine, ''Shūkan Bunshun''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.jpnews.kr/a.html?uid=9808|title=일본인 좋아하는 밥반찬에 한국의 그것?|publisher=JPNews|date=6 May 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122023626/http://jpnews.kr/sub_read.html?uid=9808|archivedate=22 November 2011|accessdate=19 November 2016|author=Ahn Min-jeong}}</ref>

Tarako is served in a number of ways: plain (usually for breakfast),<ref name="ashkenazi">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ley_r5VldNUC&q=tarako+roe&pg=PA58|title=Food Culture in Japan|pages=58–9|first=Michael|last=Ashkenazi|author2=Jacob, Jeanne|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|date=2003|isbn=0-313-32438-7|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524185251/https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=Ley_r5VldNUC&q=tarako+roe&pg=PA58&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=tarako%20roe&f=false|archivedate=24 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2022}}</ref> as a filling for ''onigiri'', and as a pasta sauce (usually with ''nori''). Traditionally, tarako was dyed bright red, but recent concerns about the safety of food coloring have all but eliminated that custom.<ref name="ashkenazi" /> In Kyūshū, tarako is commonly served with red chili pepper flakes.

<gallery> File:Tarako.jpg|''Tarako'' File:Mentaiko.jpg|''Mentaiko'' File:Baked mentaiko by ayustety in Marunouchi, Tokyo.jpg|Baked ''mentaiko'' File:Mentaiko Chazuke (15442101167).jpg|''Mentaiko-chazuke'' File:Mentai-don.jpg|''Mentaiko'' over rice, with nori strips File:Tarako_spaghetti.jpg|''Tarako'' spaghetti </gallery>

=== Russia === In Russia, pollock roe is consumed as a sandwich spread. The product, resembling liquid paste due to the small size of eggs and oil added, is sold as canned food.

As mentioned above, in Russian, the word for pollock roe is the same as for the caviar: "''ikra''". The same goes to a dish, known to the French as "''caviar d'aubergine''": "кабачковая икра", although it's a spread made of eggplants.

To make the pollock roe taste in a caviar-like way, one should make a ''butterbrot'' first e.g. to apply butter to the bread before adding the canned pollock roe. This will smoothen the excessive saltiness of the canned roe.

<gallery> File:Бутерброд_с_икрой_минтая_2.jpg|An open sandwich with canned roe File:Alaska pollock roe Russia.jpg|A piece of similar bread with less roe used since ''Ikra mintaya'' (canned roe) is rather salty.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=9785765435588 |language=en |pages=124 |publisher=ОЛМА Медиа Групп |title=Новейшая энциклопедия здорового питания |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CISd3wUdmvUC}}</ref> </gallery>

== See also == {{Portal|Food|South Korea|Japan}} * Alaska pollock as food * Jeotgal * Masago * Tobiko * Taramasalata

== Explanatory notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist|2|refs= {{void|<ref name="bledsoe&rasco2020">{{cite book |last1=Bledsoe |first1=Gleyn |author1-link= |last2=Rasco |first2=Barbara |author2-link= |editor1-last=Hui |editor1-first=Yiu H. |editor1-link= |title=Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering |date=2006 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-8493-9849-0 |page=161-12 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rTjysvUxB8wC&pg=PA218 |access-date=11 March 2020 |language=en |chapter=Caviar and Fish Roe}}</ref>}}

<ref name="sugimoto2005">{{cite book|last=Sugimoto |first=Tsutomu|author-link=:ja:杉本つとむ |title=Gogenkai |script-title=ja:語源海 |publisher=Tokyo Shoseki |year=2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZkPAAAAYAAJ&q=明太子 |page=288 |isbn=4487797438|language=ja}}</ref>

<ref name="koizumi2002">{{cite book|last=Koizumi |first=Takeo |author-link=:ja:小泉武夫 |title=Shoku to nihonjin no chie |script-title=ja:食と日本人の知恵 |publisher=Iwanami Shoten |year=2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iPEwAQAAIAAJ&q=マダラの卵巣 |pages=401, 662 |isbn=9784006030520 |language=ja}}</ref>

<ref name="mouritsen&styrbaek2023">{{Cite book|last1=Mouritsen |first1=Ole G. |author1-link=:da:Ole G. Mouritsen |last2=Styrbæk |first2=Klavs |author2-link= |title=Rogn: Meget mere end rogn |location= |publisher=Gyldendal A/S |date=2023 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jKLbEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT243 |page= |isbn=9788702392029 |quote='''''karashi-mentaiko''''' (''mentaiko'') - krydret variant af ''tarako'', som er saltet torskerogn.. med.. japansk chili (''togarashi'') ['''''karashi-mentaiko''''' (''mentaiko'') - spicy variant of ''tarako'', which is salted cod roe...with.. Japanese chili (''togarashi'').]}}</ref>

<ref name="oecd-dict-caviar-subst">{{cite encyclopedia|author=OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |author-link=OECD |entry=Caviar substitutes |title=Multilingual Dictionary of Fish and Fish Products |location= |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2009 |entry-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HhxT9V5CQM4C&pg=PA39 |page=39 |isbn=9781444319422}}</ref>

<ref name="uchida&watanobe2008">{{Cite book|last1=Uchida |first1=Hirotsugu |author1-link= |last2=Watanobe |first2=Masamichi |author2-link= |chapter=Walleye pollack (''Suketoudara'') fishery management in the Hiyama region of Hokkaido, Japan |editor1-last=Townsend |editor1-first=R. |editor1-link= |editor2-last=Shotton |editor2-first=R. |editor2-link=|editor3-last=Uchida |editor3-first=H. |editor3-link= |title=Case Studies in Fisheries Self-governance |location= |publisher=Food & Agriculture Org. |date=2008 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6N6bcOE5uVsC&pg=PA163|page=163 |isbn=9789251058978}}</ref> }}

== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Pollock roe}}

Category:Japanese seafood Category:Jeotgal Category:Korean cuisine Category:Roe Category:Korean seafood Category:Russian fish dishes