Edit History

Here are some mysteries.

 

S: 黄花鱼; T: 黃花魚 (huáng huā yú5), yellow croaker is a popular fish round here, but it's not what I want to talk about now.

 

Large yellow croaker

 

Instead I want to talk about S: 黄花鱼子; T: 黃花魚子 (huáng huā yú zǐ), yellow croaker roe.

 

Yellow croaker roe

 

There are a number of roes easily available here, but this is the most common.  Extracted from the large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea or Pseudosciaena crocea, this is sold raw in vacuum packed bags, usually frozen.

 

Search the interwebs for information on this and all you get is TCM nonsense about croaker roe oil being wonderful for lipids and antioxidants. I want wonderful for dinner.

 

I have had it as a sort of roe omelette where the roe was mixed with egg and fried. I've eaten it simply stir fried with the fish itself. I've also had them poached in hotpots. 

 

Occasionally, I see seabass roe, but never ventured there. No particular reason. I always seem to see it when I already have other plans. 

 

Sea bass roe

 

But what prompted this was seeing these.

 

They are described simply as S: 多春鱼; T:多春魚 (duō chūn yú) which literally means 'many spring fish', spring as in the season.

 

 

Means nothing to me and I can find nothing on the term. Friends are equally baffled. I've only ever seen these images from the vendor and it's difficult to judge the size - are they capelin or mackerel sized? 

 

 

Whatever, they look like something I'd like to eat. It is said that the roe accounts for 80% of the total weight. If I can find out the species, I'll get back on this one.

 

Of course, we get lumpfish, flying fish and crab roe, too. Often dyed into colours its mother wouldn't recognise.

 

Flying fish roe

 

Black crab roe

 

Avocados with red crab roe.

 

I can also get real caviar easily at a price (of course). China is now the world's leading caviar producer.

 

 

Now we're talking.

 

 

Here are some mysteries.

 

S: 黄花鱼; T: 黃花魚 (huáng huā yú5), yellow croaker is a popular fish round here, but it's not what I want to talk about now.

 

Large yellow croaker

 

Instead I want to talk about S: 黄花鱼子; T: 黃花魚子 (huáng huā yú zǐ), yellow croaker roe.

 

Yellow croaker roe

 

There are a number of roes easily available here, but this is the most common.  Extracted from the large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea or Pseudosciaena crocea, this is sold raw in vacuum packed bags, usually frozen.

 

Search the interwebs for information on this and all you get is TCM nonsense about croaker roe oil being wonderful for lipids and antioxidants. I want wonderful for dinner.

 

I have had it as a sort of roe omelette where the roe was mixed with egg and fried I've eaten it simply stir fried with the fish itself. I've also had them poached in hotpots. 

 

Occasionally, I see seabass roe, but never ventured there. No particular reason. I always seem to see it when I already have other plans. 

 

Sea bass roe

 

But what prompted this was seeing these.

 

They are described simply as 多春鱼; T:多春魚 (duō chūn yú) which literally means 'many spring fish', spring as in the season.

 

 

Means nothing to me and I can find nothing on the term. Friends are equally baffled. I've only ever seen these images from the vendor and it's difficult to judge the size - are they capelin or mackerel sized? 

 

 

Whatever, they look like something I'd like to eat. It is said that the roe accounts for 80% of the total weight.If I can find out the species, I'll get back on this one.

 

Of course, we get lumpfish, flying fish and crab roe, too. Often dyed into colours its mother wouldn't recognise.

 

Flying fish roe

 

Black crab roe

 

Avocados with red crab roe.

 

I can also get real caviar easily at a price (of course). China is now the world's leading caviar producer.

 

I'm

 

Now we're talking.