They Eat Fish Sperm And Call It Shirako
Category: Culinary Chaos 30th July 2026
Got to tell you about shirako, because a world where people tuck into parcels of fish sperm and behave like theyve discovered the meaning of life is my kind of chaos. Shirako literally means 'white children' in Japanese and it refers to milt - the sperm sacs from fish. Mostly cod, sometimes anglerfish, and yes, occasionally fugu if the chef is properly licensed and not having a laugh.
Now before you tut and look offended, it is served properly. Raw, lightly poached, battered and fried, or chilled in a ponzu dressing like a cheeky little custard the sea forgot. Texture? Think silky, custard-like, almost like the inside of a very posh oyster. Taste? Clean, ocean-y, a touch sweet, and strangely umami. People who like delicate stuff call it elegant. Me? I called it unsettling, then ate more because curiosity is a stubborn thing.
Seasonal note: shirako is winter fare. Fish harvests and reproductive cycles mean the sacs are plumper in the cold months, so restaurants put them on menus when the weather is miserable and everyone wants something to cheer them up that also tests their trousers.
There is a safety bit, because life wants to keep things spicy. Some species used for shirako, notably fugu, are dangerous if bungled. Thats why chefs need special licences to prepare fugu parts. Cod shirako? Fine if hygienic. Fugu shirako? You trust the man behind the counter like hes your dodgy uncle with a medical degree.
I tried it once years ago when I was wandering about and a mate said 'you cant leave without trying shirako'. I thought hed gone mad. Turned out he was right in the way a thunderstorm is right: rude, unavoidable, and leaves you a bit wetter than you expected. You either find it sublime and book a return, or you pretend you always knew you hated it and move on. Either way, culinary chaos achieved. And honestly, if someone told me the next miracle dish was beetroot juice fermented in old shoes, Id probably queue for that too.