Shiki Seafood 101: All about Uni

The murasaki (Purple Sea Urchin) is a variety of long spiked sea urchin which inhabits the coasts of Hokkaido and Russia. Its meat is generally pale yellow but sometimes comes in bright orange.

Taste: Murasaki Uni is much larger than any of its other Japanese counterparts . Its flavour is distinct from Bafun Uni and is a lot creamier and sweeter with a light texture that virtually melts in your mouth. The rich flavour of the Murasaki also comes out midway through which adds to an unforgettable experience! 

Famous Brands: Hadate, Higashizawa, Tachibana.

The Bafun Uni (Horse dung Sea Urchin) is the most popular and abundant of all varieties of sea urchin. They inhabit most of the Hokkaido and Russian shoreline and can also be found in many parts of the world. 

Taste: Bafun Uni is a smaller and more densely flavoured Sea Urchin. Less creamy than the Murasaki, Bafun Uni makes up for it with its intense umami flavour. Being the most commonly found and popular uni, it is most widely used by restaurants. Bafun Uni is very dynamic and is often used in Sushi, pastas, risottos and many other amazing Uni dishes.

Famous Brands: Ogawa, Takasho.

Aka Uni (Kyushu Red Uni) is the smallest of all uni breeds, they are mostly found in the Southern Japanese regions of Kyushu.

Taste: Aka Uni is much sweeter and denser than both Murasaki and Bafun Uni and is perfect for those looking for a punch of Uni flavour. Aka Uni is mostly used in Sushi and now in pastas.