Homemade Ikura (Marinated Salmon Roe)
Ikura is a luxurious ingredient made with vibrant orange salmon roe soaked in a flavor-enhancing marinade and is used in sushi and rice bowls. This recipe will teach you how to clean, prepare, and marinate ikura from scratch so that you to enjoy its natural flavor to the fullest!
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 sack salmon roe ((sujiko))
- 1000 ml water
- 1 tsp salt (to wash)
- ½ tsp salt (to enhance color)
- 60 ml sake
- 45 ml dashi stock
- 30 ml mirin
- 30 ml Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
- 3 g dried kelp (kombu)
Instructions
- 1
Open 1 sack salmon roe by hand (do not use a knife) and place it in a large heatproof bowl. Gently massage to help loosen the roe, and remove what you can from the membrane. (Don't worry about removing all of them at this point.)
- 2
Pour 1000 ml water into a pot and add 1 tsp salt. Mix and heat until it reaches 70 °C (158 °F).
- 3
Pour the hot water over the salmon roe and separate the roe from the membrane using chopsticks, removing the membrane as you go.
- 4
Once you've removed all of the membrane and separated all of the roe, pour the contents of the bowl through a sieve to drain. Fill the bowl with cold water and gently wash the roe to remove any leftover debris. Drain and repeat until clean.
- 5
Drain once more and set the sieve of roe over an empty bowl. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and shake to evenly distribute it through the roe. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- 6
While you wait, make the marinade. Add 60 ml sake and 30 ml mirin to a saucepan and boil for 30 seconds to release the alcohol.
- 7
Pour the sake and mirin mixture into a container and add 45 ml dashi stock, 30 ml Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) and 3 g dried kelp (kombu). Cool completely before adding the roe.
- 8
Transfer the roe to the marinade, make sure they are all submerged. Cover with a lid and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- 9
Enjoy with sushi or donburi!