flying fish The Exocoetidae are a family of marine fish in the order Beloniformes class Actinopterygii, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven to nine genera. While they cannot fly in the same way a bird ...

roe in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan ( Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and ot ...

, known for its use in ''

sushi is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice," also ...

''. The eggs are small, ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 mm. For comparison, ''tobiko'' is larger than '' masago'' (

capelin The capelin or caplin (''Mallotus villosus'') is a small forage fish of the smelt family found in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic oceans. In summer, it grazes on dense swarms of plankton at the edge of the ice shelf. Larger capel ...

roe), but smaller than '' ikura'' (

salmon Salmon () is the common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of ...

roe). Natural ''tobiko'' has a red-orange color, a mild smoky or salty taste, and a crunchy texture. ''Tobiko'' is sometimes colored to change its appearance: other natural ingredients are used to accomplish the change, such as

squid ink Cephalopod ink is a dark-coloured or luminous ink released into water by most species of cephalopod, usually as an escape mechanism. All cephalopods, with the exception of the Nautilidae and the Cirrina (deep-sea octopuses), are able to releas ...

to make it black, ''

yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. ...

'' to make it pale orange (almost yellow), or even ''

wasabi Wasabi ( Japanese: , , or , ; ''Eutrema japonicum'' or ''Wasabia japonica'') or Japanese horseradish is a plant of the family Brassicaceae, which also includes horseradish and mustard in other genera. The plant is native to Japan and the Russ ...

'' to make it green and spicy. A serving of ''tobiko'' can contain several pieces, each having a different color. When prepared as ''

sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. " 刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stu ...

'', it may be presented on

avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to Americas, the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerica, Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Pre-Columb ...

halves or wedges. ''Tobiko'' is used in the creation of many other Japanese dishes. Often, it is used as an ingredient in California rolls. Frequently, ''masago'' (capelin or

smelt Smelt may refer to: * Smelting, chemical process * The common name of various fish: ** Smelt (fish), a family of small fish, Osmeridae ** Australian smelt in the family Retropinnidae and species ''Retropinna semoni'' ** Big-scale sand smelt ''A ...

roe) is substituted for ''tobiko'', due to its similar appearance and flavor. The smaller size of the individual eggs is apparent to the experienced diner, however. Image:Tobiko.jpg, ''Tobiko ''in varying colors, served as ''sushi'' Image:Tobiko on grilled Albacore.jpg, ''Tobiko'', shown in its natural color, topping grilled albacore tuna

References

External links

* {{Roe Japanese seafood Roe