Karasumi

Taiwanese mullet roe drying in open air. The roe is deveined, and progressively pressed, dehydrated and salted until the desired firmness or texture is achieved. Mullet roe is considered a delicacy in Taiwan as well as in Japan.

Karasumi (Japanese: カラスミ (唐墨,鱲子), Romaji: karasumi; Chinese: 烏魚子; pinyin: wūyúzi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: o͘-hî-chí) is a food product made by salting mullet roe and drying it by the sunlight. A theory suggests that it got its name from its resemblance to a block of sumi (inkstick) imported from Taiwan (Kara) and used in shodo. Karasumi is a high priced delicacy and it is eaten while drinking sake.

It is a speciality of Nagasaki and along with salt-pickled sea urchin roe and Konowata one of the three chinmi of Japan. The town of Tungkang in Taiwan specializes in the delicacy. Mullet fishing in Taiwan can be traced back to when the island was under Dutch Colonial Rule.

See also

• Botargo, a Mediterranean salt-cured mullet roe.
• List of delicacies
• Myeongran, a Korean fermented seafood consisting of mullet roe.
• Smoked egg