Flying Fish Roe
I’m fairly certain that 鱼子 (yú zǐ) Roe only became popular as part of the Japanese style sushi restaurant fad about fifteen years ago. It is found on the sushi counter in one of my supermarkets. We get various types. I’ve mentioned capelin roe before, but more common is flying fish roe (飞鱼子 - fēi yú zǐ). Then crab roe (蟹黄水 - xiè huáng shuǐ).
Crab Roe
Only rarely do we see lumpfish roe (圆鳍鱼子 - yuán qí yú zǐ). To be honest, they all taste pretty much the same and are used more for decoration than flavour.
Scrambled Egg with Red Crab Roe
Spaghetti Prawn with Flying Fish Roe
Then I must mention true caviar. It is little known, but China is now the largest supplier of caviar in the world, with one company in Zhejiang province alone supplying 30% of the world market. Eat in a 3-Michelin starred restaurant in Paris and there is a high probability that the caviar will be from Kaluga Queen. In 2017, out of the 26 3-star restaurants in Paris, 21 served Kaluga Queen caviar. This is a can of their 7-year old eggy delight which I have in my fridge for Christmas morning. 10 grams / 0.35 ounces for the equivalent of $21 USD.
P.S. The same company also sells its smoked sturgeon which is to die for.
Smoked Sturgeon with Caviar
