What is Masago In Sushi?

What is Masago In Sushi? There is as much attention paid to the appearance of the meal in Japanese culture as to its tastes qualities. This is one more reason why rolls: maki, uramaki and tamaki, nigiri and sashimi are so phenomenally popular far beyond the country of origin. Not only is their cuisine tasty, but it does also look outstandingly beautiful.

Everyone who has tried California rolls at least once can understand what I am talking about. These are tiny little bright red beads of caviar, which cover the roll all over and deliciously crunch when being bitten. This secret ingredient is called masago caviar. The word itself is translated from Japanese like sand, which accurately represents its appearance. There is another one, namely, tobiko, but this is worth its article. We will talk about masago due to its higher popularity in other countries, whereas tobiko is more frequently used in Japan.

What is Masago? 

Masago is caviar which you may often see in recipes for all types of sushi. Surprisingly, not everyone knows what it actually is and some even consider it artificial caviar. But it is not. It is a 100% natural product, it is the real caviar of a real fish Shishamo. We can say it is a northern, or Japanese capelin, a small, silverfish, which is widely spread in freshwaters of the northern Atlantic, Arctic, and the Far East. The caviar does not contain carcinogens but is usually colored to look more attractive to the buyers. Its basic colors are black, orange, green, and red.

How To Use Masago In Sushi? 

Variety and diversity among sushi items have considerably increased since Japanese cuisine stepped out of the country and settled in Western states. Cooks try to make menus in their restaurants with original recipes. However, classical classics are still going strong. California keeps its tops positions in the rankings of the most favorite types of meals. And caviar in it is not an essential ingredient to cook, but the crucial final touch which enhances the showiness of the meal when it is presented.

Red masago caviar is used as a cap covering for gunkan maki and for rolling uramaki which are wrapped in cheese from the outside. You can also find the ingredient as a filling for some other types of rolls and as an additional element for sauce and spicy rolls.

A mild salty taste is achieved through the combination of the ingredient with other products. It is used in rolls like Philadelphia and Alaska, it makes California look the way we are used to seeing it.

When choosing masago, pay attention to preservatives. There should not be more than 8% of salt in the general volume of the caviar, otherwise, the taste and the consistency will get significantly worse.

Originally, the color of the caviar is pale orange, so it can be colored with a natural or synthetic nutrition dye. At home you may use cuttlefish ink to make it black, pickled ginger to color it pale pink, or wasabi to get a grass green color.

The most prominent usage of the caviar is to cover it all over the uramaki roll (the one with the rice outside). To do this, after you removed a bamboo mat from your cylinder, dip it into the caviar. Should the sides not be sticky enough smear more tezu on them.

What Are The Benefits Of Masago In Sushi?

Capellan is a feed fish, which means it is highly nutritional. Otherwise, other fish wouldn’t hunt it as fiercely as they do. Therefore, the caviar has high nutritional qualities. First of all, it is a source of easily digestible protein and Omega-3, which regulate inflammations and coordinate functions of our immune system, hormones, heart, and lungs. By consuming masago, you increase your activity, improve your intellectual capacities, and relieve stress.

The product is rich in microelements, including some of the most important iodine, bromine, and molybdenum. Like any other sea product, masago contains useful microelements and vitamins, which positively affect human health. For example, phosphorus and calcium strengthen bones, the abovementioned iodine normalizes the normal functioning of a thyroid gland, kalium improves heart functioning and keeps water balance in the organism. Besides that, masago is rich in amino acids which are building blocks for the protein. Even a small bead of the caviar is as full of protein as one big chicken egg. Another essential mineral which we can hardly her from other products is selenium. It is one of the strongest antioxidants, it reduces oxidizing stress and supports the functioning of the immune system. Surveys reveal that increasing selenium in our bodies can boost immune response and prevent the decline of our mental capacity.

Additionally to being full of all these elements, it contains very few calories, which makes it more attractive to sportspersons and those following diets.

One of the most important elements which the caviar brings to our organisms is vitamin B12 which cannot be produced by them. It plays a crucial role in many functions, including the development of erythrocytes, producing of energy, and transporting of nerve signals and DNA synthesis.

Adding masago and other products as rich in protein to your daily diet may help keep you fed up and will prevent overeating, and therefore, gaining undesirable weight.

There are also pragmatic reasons to use it in rolls. The caviar boosts their taste qualities and makes their appearance more original and attractive.

At the same time, people with allergies to fish products should also avoid using this ingredient in their meals.

Conclusion

Using masago on daily basis may decrease the number of illnesses and helps to boost health condition. To make your ration more interesting you can also add this element to other meals:

• cover your delicious home-made maki with a couple of teaspoons of masago
• you can use masago with rice dishes
• masago is irreplaceable when is used with Asian noodles
• any fish will acquire a especial flavor if you cover it with masago
• masago-based sauces are a perfect topping for your rolls’ filling.

You can see how amazingly wide this secret and at the same time obvious ingredient can be applied in your kitchen. Healthy and tasty, nutritious and delicious, attractive and creative, masago caviar a day can indeed keep doctors and worries far away from you and your family.