Russian Salmon Caviar (Ikra)

Ingredients

1/4 cup salt

1 cup water at room temperature

fresh salmon roe from 1 salmon

Preparation

Make brine. The goal is to make a saturated salt solution, i.e dissolve as much salt as possible in water. Combine water and salt, stir until salt is completely dissolved. This may take up to 10 minutes of continuous stirring. If salt is still not dissolved after 10 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of water and stir some more. If a little bit of salt still remains, it’s OK to proceed.

Clean salmon roe. Fresh salmon roe comes in a clear membranous sac. We need to separate individual fish eggs from the membrane without rupturing the eggs. To do that, use a teaspoon or a table knife. Place it behind the eggs, press down carefully and slide along the membrane to push the eggs out of the membrane sac.

Cure salmon roe. Add clean salmon roe to brine. Stir once, very gently, and let stand for 15 minutes. Don’t worry if roe becomes wrinkly and whitish in appearance. This is normal. After 15 minutes, drain brine off. At this point, the caviar is technically ready to eat. I usually let is stand overnight in the fridge before eating. If, after standing in the fridge overnight, caviar still appears wrinkly, add 1-2 tbsp water and stir very gently to let caviar absorb the liquid. This should plump it up.

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About

Caviar is a famous Russian delicacy made from cured fish roe. People who have tried it either love it or hate it, but no one remains indifferent.

If you never had caviar before, I suggest to try it if you have a chance. The sensation of salty little fish eggs popping against your tongue is truly special. Whether you like it or not, the sensation is unforgettable. By the way, here is an interesting bit of information. Most sushi lovers are familiar with Ikura sushi, essentially a piece of sushi topped with salmon caviar. Well, the word Ikura in Japanese is a borrowed Russian word Ikra, which means caviar.