Tobikko Flying Fish Roe

Japanese tobikko — flying fish roe, lightly cured in a soy-based seasoning. The grains are small, firm and translucent, and they carry the colour of the cure: orange-red through to gold.

Tobikko is finer than ikura and it behaves differently. Where salmon roe bursts wetly, these pop with a crisp little resistance and keep popping — a whole spoonful goes off in sequence rather than all at once. The flavour is savoury and just faintly sweet, so it seasons a dish as well as decorating it.

Why Choose It?

• Crisp, popping texture: firmer and finer grained than salmon roe.
• Lightly cured: savoury with a hint of sweetness, not aggressively salty.
• It holds its colour: bright on the plate, which is half of why it is used.
• Ready to use: thaw and spoon.
• Goes a long way: a small amount finishes a whole tray of sushi.

How To Use It:

• Gunkan maki: the battleship roll it was made for.
• Chirashi and seafood donburi: spooned over the rice.
• Inside rolls: rolled through a California roll for texture.
• Canapés: on quail eggs, cucumber cups or crackers.
• Pasta and salads: folded through at the end, off the heat.

The One Rule:
Never cook it and never let it sit warm. Heat collapses the grains into paste, and the pop is the entire reason to buy it.

Storage:
Keep frozen at -18°C. Thaw in the refrigerator, never in water, and use within two days of thawing. Do not refreeze.

Allergen:
Contains fish and soy.

The bright pop on top of everything. Order now.