During my recent trip to Korea, I discovered pollock roe pasta. Korean pollock roe, myeongnan-jeot, is one of my favorite food. One that I ate on a weekly basis. It’s spicy, salty, and raw; just perfect on its own over cooked rice. I had to part with this favorite dish of mine ever since I was pregnant with Munchkin, because, well, it has the very three things I needed to avoid- spicy, salty, and raw- as a pregnant woman, breastfeeding mom, and, now, a home cook to a toddler. So imagine my delight, when I found pollock roe in pasta form that wasn’t spicy or salty, and that was possibly cooked. I still prefer the spicy, salty, and raw version, but I’ll take it.

The trending pollock roe (oil) pasta in Korea and Japan typically have butter/olive oil, roe, dried seaweed, and common Asian greens such as green onion or shiso/perilla leaves. I used tomato and basil here because I got to seize every opportunity to add vegetables and days-old herbs to our food.

To make Roe Pasta:

(2 servings for adult & 2 servings for toddler)
1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 medium size tomato, 15 large basil leaves, juice from 1/2 lemon, 12 oz cooked pasta

a. Boil water in a large pot to cook pasta. While water is heating up, chop tomato and basil leaves.

b. Wash pollock roe under running water to remove the spicy sauce. Cut the roe sacks in half with a knife and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Discard the membrane.

c. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped tomato and cook until tomato becomes soft, about 5-10 minutes. While tomato is cooking, add pasta to the boiling water. Mash the tomato with a fork. Mix in the roe and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in basil.

d. When the pasta is ready, using a thong, transfer it to the skillet. Squeeze half a lemon over pasta/ sauce, and mix well.

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Roe Pasta

Pollock/Cod Roe Pasta in olive oil with tomato and basil. Not spicy and not too salty. Great for fish-loving toddlers.

Author whiteblankspace

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 sacks pollock/cod roe
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 tomato medium size
• 15 basil leaves large
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 12 oz whole wheat pasta cooked

Instructions

1. Boil water in a large pot to cook pasta. While water is heating up, chop tomato and basil leaves. 

2. Wash pollock roe under running water to remove the spicy sauce. Cut the roe sacks in half with a knife and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Discard the membrane. 

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped tomato and cook until tomato becomes soft, about 5-10 minutes. While tomato is cooking, add pasta to the boiling water. Mash the tomato with a fork. Mix in the roe and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in basil. 

4.  When the pasta is ready, using a thong, transfer it to the skillet. Squeeze half a lemon over pasta/ sauce, and mix well.