Mentaiko pasta

Ok. I know it does not look like very much, but I swear it is delicious.

Mentaiko, also known as, cod roe.

When I was in Japan last December, I was obsessed with mentaiko. Like, mentaiko anything. The best news for me was that FamilyMart stocked mentaiko pasta, which I had for breakfast, multiple times. It was mindblowingly delicious - creamy and salty, with a knob of butter on top. Even the pasta was al dente despite getting microwaved. Unbelievable.

Obviously I wanted to take some of it home and recreate it. I bought a small tube of it (around the amount of 1.5 roe sack) for approximately 800 yen (around 10 SGD?), stuck it in my suitcase, crossed my fingers and hoped that the cold temperatures of the plane cargo would keep my eggs safe till I got home. It worked.

Mentaiko in Singapore can get quite pricey, although it is very affordable in Japan. I've gotten quite lucky so far, and found really affordable mentaiko at a Kyushu food fair that sold around 6-8 roe sacks for 30 SGD! Otherwise, you can still get mentaiko in Japanese supermarkets in Singapore. I've bought mine several times from Mediya in Liang Court.

I think cooking with an ingredient such as mentaiko can be daunting for most people. Firstly, it sounds foreign. Secondly, it sounds fishy, literally. However, once you get past both, it really is a very simple dish to make.

I've taken my recipe from here. I didn't follow it to a T because it's really about tasting and adjusting along the way. I also used extra virgin olive oil instead of just regular olive oil. Many prefer the mayo-based mentaiko, but I have not personally attempted to make that version yet.

Can't wait to eat it again.