Kazunoko / Herring Roe / 数の子

Kazunoko (数の子), or salted herring roe, is one of the popular dishes in Osechi Ryori (おせち料理), the Japanese New Year food. Marinated in soy dashi seasoning, this rare and expensive delicacy is considered an important part of Osechi as it symbolizes many children and a prosperous family.

The herring are caught in early spring off the British Columbia coast during the annual herring run. Herring spawn each year in British Columbia from mid-March to mid-April in protected waters where water plants such as kelp or eelgrass allow for egg deposition.

At this time, the roe of the females is in prime condition just before the fish are due to spawn. The roe is quickly extracted for maximum freshness and cured in saltwater brine to produce the kazunoko.