Is plant-based shirako worth putting in your mouth?
In Japanese, there’s a phrase, kuwazugirai, which means to dislike something even though you’ve never tried it. It can be applied to anything, but the literal translation of kuwazugirai means “to hate something without having eaten it,” which is a prime example of how some people bristle at foods they’re not accustomed to but might love if they’d just try a taste.
However, in some situations you can kind of see how someone could feel an aversion, or even repulsion, towards something that’s biologically edible even having never put it in their mouth, such as with shirako, which is fish sperm. And no, shirako isn’t just a drop or two of potential future fishies added as a little extra seasoning. Shirako sushi (the most common way to eat it) involves a generous dollop of the creamy stuff, as shown in the photo here.
▼ Note: This shirako sushi has been garnished with yuzu zests; fish in Japan don’t jizz citrus fruit peels.
Though it’s not super-hard to find in Japan, shirako is still a pretty divisive food, and our Japanese-language reporter Snufkin has politely declined every opportunity she’s ever been presented with to try it. Her interest was aroused, though, when she was browsing the shelves of her local 7-Eleven branch and came across imitation shirako, made out of tofu.
This is the newest addition to tofu maker Sagamiya Foods’ Beyond Tofu line, which also includes imitation uni (sea urchin). Ordinarily when the food industry uses the term “beyond [something]” it’s an indicator that tofu is being used to replicate something, like a “beyond burger” being a tofu-based hamburger substitute. So calling something “Beyond Tofu” feels a little strange…but what feels even more shocking, of course, is that tofu-based imitation fish sperm exists.
Intrigued, Snufkin decided to pick up a pack of Beyond Tofu that’s Like Shirako, as the product is officially named, for 246 yen (US$1.65).
Opening up the package, she could immediately detect a smell reminiscent of imitation crab (imitation crab made from other fish, not from tofu). Visually, tofu-based imitation shirako is arguably less intimidating than the real thing, since tofu and shirako actually look quite similar to each other, but most people are far less likely to be grossed out looking at tofu.
The shirako Beyond Tofu comes with a packet of kombu (kelp) ponzu sauce, which Snufkin poured on after plating it.
After taking a moment to steady her nerves, Snufkin took a bite, and…
…it…was good? Yeah, good…she could hardly believe it, but after a life spent avoiding eating shirako, from her first taste of imitation shirako, she liked it.
The first thing she noticed was the texture, which is distinctly different from regular tofu. As you probably already imagined/feared, it’s sticky, with a smooth surface area but a finely fibrous quality. It’s also a little denser than normal tofu, feeling close to gomadofu (sesame tofu), but melts once it reaches the warmth inside your oral cavity.
There’s definitely a fishy quality to the flavor, but it’s not as intense as Snufkin had worried it might be. Surprisingly, though, you can also taste the soybeans, and not in a cheap “Ah, they don’t know how to cover up the flavor of the tofu” kind of way. Instead, Snufkin felt like there was a harmonious and delicious combination of fish and soy flavors at play on her taste buds.
Since this is something she wouldn’t mind eating again, Snufkin next decided to check the nutritional information of the shirako Byond Tofu. After all, a big selling point of plant-based foods is that they’re supposed to be healthier, right?
A 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving of real shirako contains approximately 60 calories, 0.8 grams of fat, and 0.2 grams of carbohydrates. Looking at the nutrition facts on the Beyond Tofu package and converting them to a 100-gram serving, the imitation shirako has 184 calories, 14.9 grams of fat, and 6.9 grams of carbohydrates. In other words, the plant-based fish sperm has over three times as many calories, 18 times as much fat, and 34 times as many carbs as actual shirako. The imitation shirako does have one distinct health advantage, though, in that it’s purine-free, while actual shirako has a pretty high purine-count, so if you’re already an established shirako lover who’s suffering from gout but have room to spare for your calorie, fat, and carb intakes, it could be a viable option, numerically.
With Snufkin never having tried actual Shirako, she can’t say how close of an approximation Beyond Tofu provides. Judged in and of itself, though, she’s very happy with how the imitation shirako tastes, and now finds herself wondering if actual shirako, which she’s long hated without trying, might be something she’d love too.
Photos ©SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]