Karasumi Romaji: karasumi; ) is a food product made by salting mullet

Mullet (fish)

The mullets or grey mullets are a family and order of ray-finned fish found worldwide in coastal temperate and tropical waters, and in some species in fresh water. Mullets have served as an important source of food in Mediterranean Europe since Roman times...

 roe and drying it by the sunlight. A theory suggests that it got its name from its resemblance to a block of sumi (inkstick

Inkstick

Inksticks are a type of solid ink used traditionally in several East Asian cultures for calligraphy and brush painting. Inksticks are made mainly of soot and animal glue, sometimes with incense or medicinal scents added...

) imported from China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 (Kara) and used in shodo

Shodo

"Shōdō" is the fortieth single by B'z, released on January 25, 2006. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. This song was the opening theme of Case Closed.- External links :*...

. Karasumi is a high priced delicacy and it is eaten while drinking sake.

It is a speciality of Nagasaki

Nagasaki

is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...

 and along with salt-pickled sea urchin

Sea urchin

Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...

 roe and Konowata one of the three chinmi

Chinmi

is a Japanese term meaning literally "rare taste", but more appropriately "delicacy". They are local cuisines that have fallen out of popularity or those cuisines that are peculiar to a certain area. Many involved pickled seafood. The three best known chinmi of Japan are salt-pickled sea urchin...

 of Japan. The town of Tungkang in Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 specializes in the delicacy.

See also

• Botargo, a Mediterranean salt-cured mullet roe.
• Myeongran
  Myeongran
  In Korean cuisine Myeongran or Myeongran jeot is a jeotgal made with the roe of flathead mullet or pollock and seasoned with chili pepper powder. It is commonly served as a banchan, or small dish accompanying rice or as an ingredient for altang , a kind of jjigae...
  
  , a Korean fermented seafood consisting of mullet roe.