We all know that Japanese cuisine is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it’s delicious and a lean source of protein. Fish to be consumed raw, it MUST BE fresher and of a higher quality/grade than cooked fish, hence the term “sushi grade” Fish should smell clean not fishy, be vivid in color, and free from harmful parasites, which is why ocean fish can be used raw; and freshwater fish should be cooked, as these fish may harbor parasites. As an adventurous eater, trying off beat items isn’t that much of a stretch for me and it was at Miyagi, where I was introduced to sea urchin for the very first time.
Uni, informally referred to as the roe, and contrary to popular belief, the portion sold and served as one of the ocean’s most opulent treasures is not the roe, it is actually the gonads! Yes, the animal’s testes which produce the milt or roe. It is the only edible part of this hermaphrodite sea creature. Uni is bright yellow and tastes sweet, light, with a firm, yet smooth, dry and paste-like texture.
Once the sea urchin is hand picked, it is delivered live to a processing plant where it is carefully cracked open. The uni is scooped out the spiny shell in five custard-like, golden sections, it is then rinsed, cleaned and set with a light brine/preserving solution before being placed into small wooden or plastic trays, the trays are refrigerated, placed in insulated containers and air shipped to customers often within 48 hours.
They are graded in the following fashion:
Grade A - light, sweet, and somewhat briny flavor and enjoyed as nigiri or sashimi.
Grade B - more muted yellow and is less sweet.
Grade C - referred to as 'vana' is often the parts left over and broken apart during handling.
Considered ocean pests until the 1970s when a market for their sex organs developed in Japan, today “uni” is considered a seafood delicacy referred to as “ocean viagra”. It has been an aphrodisiac in Japan for thousands of years, and rose to popularity in North America in the late twentieth century. From a nutritional standpoint, sea urchin is one of the most prominent culinary sources of anandamide, a cannabinoid neurotransmitter (brain Marijuana) SO, does this mean that eating uni will produce a similar effect to ingesting marijuana? Probably no, but it is possible that uni activates the dopamine system in the brain.
My initial introduction to Japanese cuisine was many, many years ago and now it is one of my favorite cuisines to enjoy and I still get a little confused on the varying terms used when it comes to “sushi,” the word sushi refers to rice and there are several different types:
Nigiri - Little fingers of rice topped with wasabi and a filet of raw or cooked fish or shellfish.
Maki - Rice and seaweed rolls with fish and/or vegetables, some variations are:
Futomaki - Thick rolls
Hosomaki -Thin rolls
Uramaki - Inside-out rolls
Temaki- Also called a hand-roll. Cones of sushi rice, fish and vegetables wrapped in seaweed.
Sashimi - Raw fish served sliced - no rice bed or roll.
I usually like my uni as sashimi, but have also tried it nigiri style and maki. Although, not many restaurants serve uni maki rolls, perhaps at special request – at Miyagi, they were more than happy to make it for me which brings me back time and time again.
Miyagi
220 West 13th Street
New York, NY10011
Between 7th & 8th Avenue
212-620-3830
