Super Easy Homemade Soy Sauce Salmon Roe (Ikura)
How to make delicious, simple Japanese-style soy sauce marinated salmon roe at home.
Autumn has finally arrived, taking its sweet time. Recently, every supermarket in Japan has been stocking huge amounts of fresh raw salmon roe (sujiko). I happened to spot some incredibly fresh ones during a Costco run and immediately grabbed a box to take home.
This is my second time making this, so I thought I’d share my experience and notes with you all.
Steps
Unpacking
The raw salmon roe you buy at the supermarket usually looks like the picture below. I’ve heard the orange-colored ones are generally fresher. They typically come with a special packet of soy sauce marinade, which is super convenient.
Removing the Membrane
Prepare a large bowl of warm water, about 60°C to 70°C. Add a spoonful of salt to it (this helps reduce the effect of osmotic pressure).
Gently tear open the membrane on the surface of the roe and place it in the bowl. Then, using a pair of chopsticks, grab the center and shake or stir continuously to separate the individual eggs from the membrane. The color of the roe might change a little during this process, but don’t worry!
Cleaning
Once all the eggs have detached, pick out any remaining bits of membrane. Finally, rinse with water a few times to let the membrane debris float to the top so you can easily remove it. Once it looks clean, drain the water thoroughly. At this stage, the roe looks a bit like cooked egg yolks.
Marinating
Place the drained roe into a clean container and pour in the special soy sauce marinade. Shake the container gently so the sauce evenly coats every single egg. Magically, the roe will transform from that opaque cooked-yolk color to a brilliant, translucent orange.
Cover it with a lid and let it sit in the refrigerator for about half a day to soak up the flavor. After that, it’s ready to eat!
Done!
Top it with some nori (seaweed), and it’s perfection!
{{< notice info >}} If it didn’t come with the special sauce, you can make your own by mixing regular soy sauce, cooking sake (run through a boil to evaporate alcohol if you prefer), and a tiny bit of sugar. {{< /notice >}}