In this recipe, cod is combined with its soft roe. Soft cod roe is usually called "shira-ko" (literally, white child) in Japanese, but it is also known as "kumo-ko" (kumo means cloud) or "kiku-ko" (kiku means chrysanthemum). It is particularly good in the cold seasons. In Japanese there is an expression "Tara fuku kutta", which expresses that one has eaten so much that one's stomach could burst. "Tara" means cod and "fuku" means stomach. The expression therefore refers to the stomach of a cod, full to bursting with soft roe in the cold season.

If soft roe is very fresh, it can be eaten as is, but for those who would rather not eat it raw, it can be briefly dipped in boiling water first. It is best eaten with ponzu*, chopped scallions and grated daikon radish, mixed with a little seven-spice pepper.

Here I have destroyed the shape of the soft roe and mixed it with egg. The flesh of the cod contains a lot of moisture so it has been fried to dry it out a little. Be sure to try this, as it really is delicious.

* Ponzu: A sauce made with citrus juice or rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin and/or sake, kombu kelp and bonito flakes.