For the Love of Abudaraho

Abudaraho, also known as bottarga, is a unique delicacy among the Jews of the Ottoman Empire

Abudaraho, made from salted and cured fish roe, has a centuries-old history. Research on this delicacy reveals that abudaraho was produced by the Phoenicians more than 3,500 years ago.  Ancient Egyptians were curing mullet roe (called al-butarikh by the Arabs) as early as the 10th century BCE in Egypt’s Nile Delta.  The name abudaraho, one of many Sephardic spellings, was likely originated by Sephardic Jews living in the Iberian Peninsula as early as the first century CE. The name appears to have been derived from the Arabic name Al-Butarikh as was the Italian, bottarga.

Growing up in Atlanta in the 1930s, I remember the smelly sacs of mullet roe hanging from clotheslines in our home. This was the final stage of preparing abudaraho. Similar scenes could be found in nearly all the Sephardic homes on the southside of Atlanta, where many immigrants from Turkey and the island of Rhodes lived.

As a teenager in the 1940s, I worked at a fish market where mullet was sold.  In those days, the mullets were cleaned and the roe was simply thrown away. There apparently was no commercial market for it. I would bring home all the unwanted roe, which my mother would then distribute to our Sephardic neighbors. On several occasions she would say, “Ya Basta - that’s enough.”  Today, the market price for frozen uncured mullet roe is around $22lb and it is the preferred fish for abudaraho/bottarga. 

It wasn’t until my late thirties that I began to enjoy this delicacy and during my forties I started producing it for myself and friends. Around 2014, I was advised to post on the Facebook group, Bendichas Manos, that I was selling abudaraho at a very modest price. Within 36 hours, I received more than 15 responses from interested Sepharadim. I had no idea how much interest there was for this wonderful age-old treat. 

For the next ten years I “met” more than 60 Sephardic purchasers from 16 states who bought my abudaraho. Many were friends of friends, and several told me they had not eaten any in decades.  One man sent me a picture of himself holding the roe, telling me that he hadn’t had any in over 50 years! I “retired” from producing abudaraho about 5 times, only to “unretire” again. After I turned 90 years old, the hobby began to feel like work, and I finally decided to “hang it up for good.”  I still get calls from friends asking if I’ve unretired again. While I no longer sell abudaraho, I still produce it for myself, friends, and family.

At Congregation Or VeShalom in Atlanta, this delicacy is always available. During Shabbat services a group of the regulars “sneak out” during the haftarah reading for a Scotch break with abudaraho and crackers. During the kiddush, the treat is there for everyone to enjoy. A member once admitted to me that he came to a Shabbat service specifically to enjoy the Scotch break.  What a clever way to increase Shabbat service attendance!

Producing abudaraho is not difficult. The hardest part is obtaining mullet roe. The preferred weight is 8-10 ounces. Mullet fish typically spawn between October and January. In the United States, the gulf coast of Florida is one of the richest sources, although mullet can be found in other states as well. Frozen mullet roe is available from many wholesale seafood dealers. A few years ago, my grandson filmed a 12-minute video of me demonstrating the process of making abudaraho. The video, entitled How to Make Bottarga, can be found on YouTube or by entering Bottarga: The Sephardic Way on Google.

I have endeavored to keep the art of producing abudaraho alive by training several members of our synagogue who are now producing this centuries-old Sephardic delicacy themselves. I hope that our Sephardic communities will continue this ancient tradition.