bottarga
/ˌbɒtəˈɡɑːrə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
Bottarga is salted, cured fish roe, usually from mullet or tuna. It is often sliced thin, grated, or shaved over pasta and other dishes.
- She finished the pasta with grated bottarga.
- The chef used bottarga for extra saltiness.
Adinary Nuance
Bottarga is more specific than roe, which means fish eggs in general. It is also different from caviar, which usually means salted sturgeon roe and feels more luxurious. Use bottarga when you mean cured roe used as a flavorful ingredient.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trứng cá muối
- Spanish
- hueva curada
- Chinese
- 鱼卵酱
- Japanese
- からすみ
- Korean
- 어란
Etymology
The word comes from Italian, where bottarga names cured fish roe. English borrowed it in modern food writing and restaurant language.
Common phrases
grated bottargashaved bottargabottarga pasta
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is bottarga the same as caviar?
- No. Bottarga is cured roe, while caviar usually means sturgeon roe.
- How do people eat bottarga?
- They often grate or shave it over pasta, rice, or salad.
- Is bottarga a common everyday word?
- No. It is more common in food writing, restaurants, and cooking talk.