I was browsing the meat section at my local super the other night, trying to get some inspiration for dinner, when I noticed it must be shirako season. Have to say, that fact didn’t help me much with my meal planning, since I pretty much never get a craving for fish testicles. While I have eaten it before – in the spirit of if-it’s-served-to-you-the-only-way-past-it-is-down-the-hatch – it was offered in a far more petite quantity and effectively disguised with spicy grated radish.
Somehow, those wiggly heaps of enough genetic material to repopulate the cod population of the Grand Banks just didn’t call out to me, “Take me home and eat me with a spoon!”
I first encountered this, er, delicacy at a fancy restaurant when researching Nightshade, the first book in my mystery series. Because it would have been impolite not to eat what was put before me, I slurped it down, secretly awarding myself extra gold stars for doing it despite knowing what it was!
Ugh yeah, I’ve eaten this too. Deep-fried. Crispy on the outside and slime gushing out the inside. It was not pleasant. And I remember the way our host described it too. “It’s like caviar… but from the male fish.”
I’ve never had it fried! Well, not that I know of, anyway o_O But I google imaged “shirako” and saw all kinds of inventive ways it can be disguised until it’s too late.
holy smokes.
My feelings exactly!
Uuurgh…
I couldn’t say it better myself.
[...] It is a popular dish at most izakaya (Japanese pubs) and sushi bars. You can even pick it up in your local supermarket. A few years back I had my own encounter with fish ejaculate that didn’t end too well. And [...]
[...] Shirako is a bizarre morsel of Japanese culinary strangeness included on the infamous 10 Weird Japanese Foods list. A surprising seminal dining experience is not an uncommon story, just check here and here. [...]
My first (and last) shirako was disguised as a delicious looking golden fried crusty thing on my plate. I was told what it was before I chowed down but I really had no choice but to eat the entire thing. I don’t think I would’ve been so polite if it was served raw.
http://kanannie.com/2012/01/17/hell-no-shirako/
Props to you for downing it even after knowing what it was!