Believe it or not, this is made from left over spaghetti sitting in the fridge.
I always make the mistake of cooking way too much pasta as I am afraid it would not be enough.

So here I am, torn between making a fresh pot of kimchi tofu soup and the balance pasta for dinner.
I dislike throwing out food, so pasta it is.

Tired of the usual pasta, I turned to my fridge for "inspiration" and found the pink kidney shape sac of Pollack roe - Mentaiko (Tarako is the non-spicy version)
Mentaiko is the marinated roe of pollock and cod which gives it a pink colour.
If you have anchovies, bottarga or karasumi in your pasta, chances are you will like this dish too.

To my lovely Japanese friend - Aki San, shiso and Mentaiko is the "best combination" for her.
Shiso, from the mint family also known as oba, is the green leaf the Japanese used as garnish or receptacle to hold grated wasabi for sashimi.

The shiso with its herbaceous and citrusy notes provide a nice contrast to this salty, spicy, savoury dish.
(I substitute shiso with the zest of green lime here as I couldn't get my hands on shiso)

This recipe calls for mild flavour olive oil, you may substitute with cream and Japanese mayonnaise if you prefer a rich and creamy taste.

This is an utterly delicious and straightforward dish where one savour the great essence of the sea as the tiny roe "pop" with each mouthful.


You will need:

1/4 cup spicy mentaiko
1/4 cup of light olive oil (mild flavour)
250g dried spaghetti
1-2 tablespoon butter (cut into few slices)
half teaspoon pepper
sprinkle with sea salt flakes
5-6 Shiso (julienned) or zest of 1 lime
Nori strips (for garnish)

Method:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a well-salted water pot

2. Squeeze out the roe from each half, set aside and discard the membrane.

3. Combine the mentaiko, olive oil, pepper and salt, butter on a dish.

4. Check the doneness of the pasta, drain and add to the dish with mentaiko sauce, toss till pasta is evenly coated and butter melted.



5. Garnish with a small teaspoon of mentaiko, nori strips and shiso zest of lime/lemon.


Cooks' Note:
For rich and creamy sauce:
3 tablespoon of pure cream
4 tablespoon of Japanese mayonnaise