Black ink from squid or cuttlefish ink sacs — briny, mineral, deep-marine flavor.
Where it comes from
Coastal kitchens worldwide; Mediterranean and Mediterranean-Asian (Hong Kong, Hangzhou) traditions both use it.
In the kitchen
Stains pasta black (Italian) or rice/risotto black (Cantonese, Venetian); gives a marine-umami foundation.
Across cuisines
Croatian
The ink sac from cuttlefish or squid — used neat in crni rižot to dye the rice glossy-black and infuse a sea-mineral note.
