Sujiko, the Salmon Roe That Stays with You

If You’re Expecting Ikura

Most people meeting sujiko for the first time picture ikura: bright salmon roe you can lift by the spoonful, with that little pop in the mouth. Sujiko immediately upsets those expectations. The eggs cling together, the texture is firm and the colour is darker than you might imagine. You have to cut off a piece for yourself.

There is no guarantee you’ll like it at first. You might wonder what anyone sees in it. Sujiko seems quite content to leave that question with you.

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Eating the Roe Together

The defining thing about sujiko is that the eggs stay together in the membrane that holds them. The separated eggs of ikura burst one by one. With sujiko, you cut off a piece and chew.

That texture divides people. If you’re waiting for the eggs to pop and scatter, you’ll be disappointed. What you get is a strangely moreish density, salt that hits straight away and a deeper taste of the sea. The rough edges are part of its appeal.

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What Warm Rice Does

On its own, sujiko can be aggressively salty, heavy going after a bite or two. Put it over warm rice and the character changes. The heat and quiet sweetness of the rice make sense of all that salt.

Sujiko feels more at home on the family table than it does in a showcase of sushi. Put it on white rice with a sheet of nori and dinner needs little else. In Japan, it has the feel of a side dish people seek out because they know exactly what they like.

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A Taste You Grow Into

Ikura makes its impression in an instant. Sujiko tends to take a few meetings. The salt is direct and the texture rugged. It can take a while for either to feel like a reason to come back.

Once you begin to favour depth over immediacy, the appeal starts to emerge. Ikura might make you say “Wow.” Sujiko is closer to the quieter “Ah.”

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Why It Stays in Ikura’s Shadow

Sujiko is awkward to sell with a photograph or a first bite. It’s easy to see how ikura gets most of the attention. The same qualities that make sujiko less conspicuous help it stick around.

A food that never has a moment can outlast the moment. Sujiko is easy to overlook until you start looking for it. Once you know it, you find yourself thinking about it.

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A Matter of Taste

Tell people you like sujiko and the answers tend to split.

• “Isn’t it too salty?”
• “I don’t like the eggs being stuck together.”

Sujiko offers no concessions. It keeps its salt and its texture. If you come to like it, you know exactly what you’re choosing.

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What Comes Back to You

Sujiko is unlikely to dazzle the first time. Then one day you remember having it over rice. The salt, the density and the rough texture are the very things you start to miss.

Ikura stays in the memory as an impression. Sujiko finds its way into the meals you want to make again.