Avocado Mentaiko Pastaアボカド明太子パスタ

Avocado Mentaiko Pasta

I know some people do not like recipes that call for unusual ingredients.

It is nice to be able to make a fabulous dish only with what you have in your fridge and pantry.

I get it.

But if you don’t try new things, you’ll never know what you are missing, right?

In the real life I tend to be a cautious person, but when it comes to food I’m proud to say I’m pretty adventurous and I’m not afraid to try new things (Of course I have limits, and I know I can never be like Andrew Zimmern!).

Well, you probably guessed why I’m talking about this today.

Yes, it’s because of this thing called “mentaiko” in today’s post title.

Mentaiko or karashi-mentaiko is the marinated roe of pollock and cod, and is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine (per Wikipedia).

Just like another type of fish roe, caviar, mentaiko is a kind of delicacy but since it’s not super expensive, it’s more accessible.

As you can guess, mentaiko has a fresh salty flavor that remind you of the ocean, and it’s also slightly spicy (from the marinade).

This pasta was an awesome lunch for me, as I’m a big fan of both mentaiko AND avocado.

How could I resist it!

It IS difficult to find fresh mentaiko unless you live close to a large Japanese grocery store, like Mitsuwa.

But you can probably find a pre-made mentaiko sauce package like this at a smaller Japanese grocery store or an Asian store; I got mine at a local Asian grocery store, United Noodle, here in Minneapolis.

Avocado Mentaiko Pasta (1 serving):

100~150g cooked pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package store-bought mentaiko sauce
1/2 avocado, half sliced, the other half roughly mashed with a fork
fresh lemon juice
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
1/4 seaweed sheet, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
olive oil (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the last three ingredients.
2. Serve with seaweed, scallion, and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).