# What the heck is this caviar looking food?



## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

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cookers


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The only thing I could find that even looks similar are tree frog eggs. However after looking up information on those, I can't find anyone who sells them or uses them. It looks too natural to be gastronomic in my opinion. Any ideas?


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## laurenlulu (Sep 9, 2012)

Could they be simply pea puree with tapioca pearls or a more congealed ball of puree rolled in cooked pearls and then flattened slightly?


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## patrick spriggs (Dec 12, 2012)

looks like undercooked tapioca to me.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Where'd you get the pic? That could be a clue for us too.


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## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

Meezenplaz said:


> Where'd you get the pic? That could be a clue for us too.


From a chef on Facebook. He doesn't tell people what's in his pictures and nobody in the comments knows either lol


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

You let that facebook chef know that people will make up stuff if they don't know.  I could very well take this picture and redit it and say it's tree frog eggs.


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

Tapioca. The white center does not mean it's uncooked.

A couple of dishes I made:

dcarch





  








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## mini chef (Jan 4, 2011)

dcarch said:


> Tapioca. The white center does not mean it's uncooked.
> 
> A couple of dishes I made:
> 
> ...


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

chive flowers.


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## patrick spriggs (Dec 12, 2012)

never cooked it like that. i've always done it so only a small amount of white is visible. is it slightly crunchy?


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## johnnychopstix (Dec 25, 2012)

Shazbot.. I really really thought they were Sargassum sp. berries.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

Israeli couscous?

joey


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

escargot eggs


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Whatever...it is creepy looking and not something I would even want on my dish much less try to eat.

Gag,

Reminds me of my prom date Senior year and in dire need of a good skin care regimen.

mimi


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## nickstacey1987 (May 21, 2012)

You should be willing to try anything once! Otherwise you're only limiting yourself. 

Looks like snail roe, agreed.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

Thanks cheflayne .....snail eggs of course! I should have known that Israeli couscous was too pedestrian given the 'seriousness' of the photo. I recently read how snail caviar is the new culinary darling, and at $100 an ounce, it's a steal!! I can only hope that between using snail secretion in expensive skin care products and their eggs as the new caviar, the snail population won't dwindle so low so as to never enjoy them again with lots of butter, garlic, and bread!!!!!! 

Joey


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

My first glance reaction was a sea urchin shell upside










I used to see them all the time when I lived in the BVI.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

Yeah, me too....did you ever eat one? I've stepped on a lot of the black spiny ones, but ever had the nerve or expertise to open one up to eat.......they were all the rage though.....as an aside, we use to pull 'poor man's' escargot (whelks) off the rocks in west end at low tide and have a feast!!!!!!!

joey


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## judgenesis (Jan 9, 2013)

check out cavi-art.com


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## patrick spriggs (Dec 12, 2012)

it isn't caviar. if you look closely theres a small ring around the white center. snail caviar as far as im aware is completely clear.

it's almost certainly tapioca, i do want to try cooking it like in the photo above, i would have thought it would be chewy still.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

I eat first with my eyes and am quite adventurous.

Still looks creepy and I still pass.

However, what is the long (half?) shell thingee in the second set of pix (and is that the protein from said shell or a veg? of some kind (white asparagus, shallot?).

THAT is something I could get my grub on with.

Chive flowers...so delicate and springtimish.

(yes I am aware that I invent words as I go along, part of my charm, don't 'cha know ;-)

mimi


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## twyst (Jan 22, 2012)

flipflopgirl said:


> However, what is the long (half?) shell thingee in the second set of pix (and is that the protein from said shell or a veg? of some kind (white asparagus, shallot?).


Razor clams I think


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

That's it!

I knew it was a shellfish of some sort, but the name escaped me.

Thx twyst.

mimi


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

Still more creepy tapioca

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## cookers (Jun 11, 2011)

Tapioca it is! I searched tapioca pearls and the first time I didn't see any images that looked like that. After going back and changing my wording in the search similar results show up. Dcarch, how do you cook yours to achieve a white center? I've actually never worked with the stuff before, but know about its existence.


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

Can tapioca pearls be eaten raw? Wouldn't that be like eating raw rice ? I would not sacrifice great flavor for looks. Just me.


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

Cookers said:


> Tapioca it is! I searched tapioca pearls and the first time I didn't see any images that looked like that. After going back and changing my wording in the search similar results show up. Dcarch, how do you cook yours to achieve a white center? I've actually never worked with the stuff before, but know about its existence.


There are generally small pearls (larger than a grain of rice) and large pearls (1/4" balls). The pictures show the large size pearls.

The key is to first soak over night, using boiling water. The next day cook in whatever your recipe is, sweet or savory. I don't think you can eat tapioca raw. As I remember, may not be good for health.

The white center does not mean it's not cooked.

Fun and delicious to eat.

dcarch


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