What is sea cucumber? How much does it cost 1kg?

Sea cucumber, a unique food from the sea, is popular in the upper class with excellent taste and high nutritional value. Not only is it delicious, sea cucumber also brings extremely valuable benefits to human health. Let’s explore right in this article about how to prepare, preserve sea cucumbers, how to prepare delicious dishes and find out how much sea cucumber costs!

I / What is sea cucumber?

1. Identification characteristics of sea cucumbers

Sea cucumbers, also known as sea leeches, belong to the type of invertebrate animals, have an external appearance identical to that of leeches. The structure of sea cucumbers is often tubular, ostensibly covered with many lumps, lumps, which cannot clearly distinguish the head and the tail. In the middle of the body there is often a small hole, the spout itself is considered to be their “mouth.”

Around the mouth of the Seagrass, a series of small tentacles appear, often seen as “arms” whose main function is to collect food and deliver it to the mouth. Sea cucumbers mainly feed on the carcasses of animals on the seabed, phytoplankton and organic matter present on the seabed.

2. The nutritional value of sea cucumbers

Sea cucumbers, or seaweed, are a rich source of chondroitin sulfate, which helps reduce pain and arthritis. A 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated this effect on arthritis in the knee. Sea cucumbers are also linked to cardiovascular health, helping lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol.

Triterpenoid glycosides in sea cucumbers have the ability to prevent cancer, inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. Research also shows that sea cucumbers improve liver and kidney function, reduce oxidative stress.

Sea cucumbers provide glycine and arginine, which support the immune system by stimulating the production of antibodies and T cells. It also benefits gum health and may help prevent asthma attacks.
In addition, the calcium and collagen content in sea cucumbers enhances bone strength, maintains calcium density and supports strong bones.

II / Common types of sea cucumbers

1. Sea cucumber

Mammal sea cucumbers are cylindrical or oval in shape, with adult sizes usually ranging from 40 to 100mm in diameter and 300 to 400mm in length. Their dorsal surface is gray, light brown or black, with irregular streaks running through the middle of the back.

The abdomen of the sea cucumber is lighter in color than the back and is equipped with many small legs arranged in longitudinal rows. On the sides of the body there are fleshy lumps that appear like two rows of .

2. White sea cucumber

White- sea cucumbers have a round shape, can reach large sizes up to 57cm and have a life expectancy that can exceed 12 years. The appearance of white- sea cucumbers is similar to that of regular- sea cucumbers, however, the difference is that the abdomen is milky white and the back has alternating white and black streaks.

White- sea cucumbers are a rare species of significant value, especially from a nutritional and health perspective. They are known for their anti-aging ability, ability to help heal wounds, provide healthy nutrients such as blood oxygen and positive kidney supplements…

3. Sea cucumber pomegranate

The abdomen of the pomegranate sea cucumber is flat, bearing a light pink color. The mouth is located at the bottom of the abdomen, with about 20 tentacles of brown color. Around the mouth, there are conical flesh spines that create a protective zone.

4. Sea cucumber

Adult jackfruit sea cucumbers range in length from 150 – 250mm and in diameter from 30 to 50cm, with thick body walls. Their front mouth is equipped with many large and short tentacles, whose tentacles tip opens like a canopy.

The dorsal surface is usually dark brown, with many small fleshy spines protruding like jackfruit spines.
Although sea cucumbers have high nutritional and economic value, but due to overexploitation, they are now quite rare in the natural environment of Vietnam.

5. Coconut sea cucumber

Coconut sea cucumbers are round like a small ball, with the inside containing water and have a round stretch shape. Their diameter ranges from 60 to 180mm, and length from 200 to 300mm.

They usually inhabit deep seas and often hide under layers of mud, sand. With rough surface skin and high viscosity, coconut sea cucumbers are well adapted to marine environments. Their dorsal sides can be gray, black brown or white, often with spots. The abdomen of coconut sea cucumbers has many small leg tubes and inside them is opaque white, with a short intestine.

6. Black sea cucumber

Black sea cucumbers, also known as Black Sea Cucumber, are about 30 to 40cm long. Their bodies are flattened oval in shape, with 6 – 8 longitudinal on the sides. The color of black sea cucumbers is usually dark black, but the young ones may have cream or orange-colored spots.

Inside their body contains many precious nutrients. It is because of this that black sea cucumbers have been evaluated to be of equal value to ginseng. They are also expected to be able to aid in the treatment of incurable diseases.

7. Sea cucumber sand

Sand sea cucumbers have no separate tail-tip feces and lack eyes. Adult sand sea cucumbers are usually about 20cm in size, their surface skin is rough, light and soft. The mouth of sea cucumbers is located at one end of the body, and around the mouth they grow from 5 to 10 tentacles.

The diet of sand sea cucumbers often consists of organic humus and carcasses of dead animals on the seabed. Thanks to this, they are able to perform the role of cleaning the seabed floor, contributing to the limitation of pollution of the marine environment.

8. Golden sea cucumber

Hemp sea cucumbers as adults can reach a length of up to 47.5cm and an average weight ranges from 0.5 to 1kg. Their appearance resembles leeches, with many fleshy spines growing around the back, which have a characteristic yellow-orange color.

They have extremely high nutritional value, especially in aiding in the treatment of problems such as weakness, difficulty urinating, and poor blood gas. However, currently, sea cucumbers are facing a worrying decline.

9. Red sea cucumber

Red sea cucumbers have a cylindrical shape with many fleshy bumps protruding around them, which are red or orange in color. With a deep red skin, many fleshy spines and even fur, they have an eye-catching appearance.

Red sea cucumbers have a very interesting flavor, with a salty and warm flavor. They have high nutritional value, are rich in protein, low in fat and cholesterol. Therefore, they are often considered an ideal choice for women, good for skin care, anti-aging and diet support.

III / How much is sea cucumber 1kg

How much does sea cucumber cost? Depending on the type, there will be a different price.

– Sea cucumber: VND 1,500,000 – 1,700,000 / kg
– White sea cucumber: VND 1,700,000 – 2,000,000 / kg
– Sea cucumber: 900,000 – 1,000,000 VND / kg
– Coconut sea cucumber: VND 450,000 – VND 550,000 / kg
– Black sea cucumber: 500,000 – 550,000 VND / kg
– Sea cucumber sand: 700,000 – 800,000 VND / kg
– Yellow sea cucumber: VND 650,000 – 750,000 / kg
– Red sea cucumber: VND 750,000 – 850,000 / kg

IV / How to prepare sea cucumber

To prepare fresh sea cucumbers, there are two different ways of preprocessing. Here are specific descriptions for both ways:

Method 1 for fresh sea cucumbers:

1. Remove the intestinal part of the sea cucumber and puree the ginger, then soak the sea cucumber that has made the intestine into the ginger wine mixture to remove the fishy smell.
2. Wash sea cucumbers with clean water after soaking in the ginger wine mixture.
2 ways for fresh sea cucumbers:
1. Bake sea cucumbers gently to remove the viscous layer, then soak in cold water for about 30 minutes to reduce salinity.
2. Peel the outer shell of the sea cucumber after it is soft, then gently boil it and soak it in cold water to create crispness.

For dried sea cucumbers:

1. Soak dried sea cucumber in warm water for about 15 hours to make it soft.
2. Clean the intestines of the sea cucumber and wash it again.
3. Boil the water and drop the dried sea cucumber along with the finely chopped ginger, maintaining a low heat.
4. Boil for about 30 minutes, then soak sea cucumber in ice cold water for about 10 minutes to increase the crispness and reduce the fishy taste.

V / Delicious dishes from sea cucumbers

1. Stir-fried sea cucumber mushroom

Raw materials

– 200gr mushroom
– 200gr sea cucumber
– 100gr vegetable
– Onion, scallion, chili, ginger, garlic
– Spices: Soy sauce, edible oil, sugar, oyster oil, monosodium glutamate

To prepare sea cucumber stir-fried mushroom, you can perform the following steps:

Step 1: Pretreatment of raw materials

1. Cauliflower: Take the Cauliflower and cut off the leg of the mushroom. Then, soak the mushroom in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes. After soaking, remove the mushroom and cut it into bite-sized slices.
2. Sea cucumber: Remove the guts of sea cucumber and rinse with water. Soak sea cucumber with ginger wine mixture for about 15 minutes to remove the fishy smell. Sliced into bite-sized slices.
3. Onions: Wash the onions and cut into pieces.
4. Chili: Wash the chili to leave the fruit.
5. Ginger: Peel the ginger and cut into slices.
6. Garlic: Peeled garlic, crushed and finely chopped.
7. Onions: Peel the onion, cut it into bite-sized cubes

Step 2: Stir-fry the ingredients

1. Heat the oil on a pan, then add minced garlic and sliced ginger to the aroma.
2. Stir-fry the prepared sea cucumber in a pan for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the mushroom to stir-fry with sea cucumber and season with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate. Stir well to soak the ingredients.
4. Next, add the skillet, 1 tablespoon of trench oil and 300ml of filtered water to the pan. Boil with medium heat for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the prepared chili and onions to the pan, along with the diluted cornstarch.
6. During sautéing, a mixture of cornstarch mixed with water can be added to create a smooth consistency and increase the flavor.
7. Season the seasoning to taste and turn off the stove.
8. When the sauce mixture is thick and boiling, season the seasoning to taste. Finally, add the chopped onions to the island and turn off the heat.

Step 3: Finished products

The stir-fried sea cucumber is finished. The dish has a delicious taste of ginger and chili and has beautiful colors. You can serve a plate and enjoy.

2. Sea cucumber porridge

To cook nutritious sea cucumber porridge, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Pretreatment of raw materials

1. Sea cucumber: Buy, use a double knife to cut sea cucumber, remove the intestines. Soak sea cucumber with crushed ginger and a little white wine for about 10-15 minutes to remove the fishy smell. Wash sea cucumber then simmer with water and soak in cold water to create crispness when processing.
2. Rice: Mix plain rice and glutinous rice, soak in water for about 20-30 minutes. Then remove, wash with water and drain.
3. Carrots: Clean the skin, wash and cut into pomegranate seeds.
4. Sweet corn: Separate seeds, wash.
5. Scallion: Clean, washed and chopped.
6. Ginger: Clean the skin, cut the fiber.
7. Garlic: Clean the skin, beat and finely chop.

Step 2: Stir-fry sea cucumber and minced meat

1. Heat the pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the fragrant garlic, then stir-fry the sea cucumber until it is firm, then pour it out on a plate.
2. Keep the pan hot, add garlic and minced meat to sauté, season to taste the seasoning to fit your mouth.

Step 3: Steaming Rice

Roast the rice briefly for a fragrant and yellow color. Pour the rice into a pot, add 200ml of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, simmer the stew for about 30-45 minutes for the rice to be soft and pliable.Step 4: Proceed to cook nutritional sea cucumber porridge

After the rice is brewed, add minced meat, sea cucumber, carrots and sweet corn to cook and simmer for about 25-30 minutes to mix the porridge. Season again and add onions.
When you are done, you can enjoy a delicious meal.

3. Sea cucumber soup with fish

Raw Materials:
– 4 abalone
– 1 piece of shark fin
– 1kg sea cucumber
– 100g mushroom incense
– 10 jujube fruits
– 1 ginger root
– 1 spring onion
– 1 onion
– 1 garlic
– Spices: salt, sugar, seasoning powder, cooking oil, trench oil, sesame oil, cooking wine, tapioca powder

To prepare shark fin abalone soup, you can take the following steps:Step 1: Preliminary preparation of abalone

1. Rinse the abalone with a brush or anise scrub, then add a little salt to each and rub it vigorously with your hands. Continue rubbing again to ensure cleaning.
2. Take the knife and from the back of the abalone, separate the abalone meat, cut off the intestines and wash thoroughly with water.

Step 2: Preparation of sea cucumbers

1. Add the sea cucumber to the bamboo basket, add 3 teaspoons of salt and turn the basket upside down to mix the fruit. Turn the basket vigorously until the outer skin is slightly white.
2. Wash the sea cucumber and shave off the black parts on the body. Wash the sea cucumber and cut off the mouth, then shave off all the dirty parts inside.
3. Next, put the sea cucumber in a basket and add 4 teaspoons of salt, squeeze hard to remove the viscous substance. Wash the sea cucumber and drain.

Step 3: Prepare vegetables

1. Cut the washed ginger and onions into thin slices.
2. Soak jujube in boiling water until it blooms.
3. Peel the onions and garlic, wash and finely chop.

Step 4: Boil and soak fish, abalone and sea cucumber

1. Prepare 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of cooking wine. Add 1 / 2 portion of sliced ginger and chopped scallions. Put the microfish pieces in for about 1 hour to remove the smell and fishy of the microfish.
2. Cook in boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of cooking wine and 1 / 2 of the sliced ginger and the remaining scallions. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes. Then, remove the fish microelements and put in an ice bath.
3. Keep the water boiling and blanch the abalone and sea cucumber in turn for 5 seconds, then soak it in ice water to keep the crispness.

Step 5: Cook the soup.

1. Put the cooking oil in a pot, add the finely chopped garlic onions and boil them yellow. Then add 1.5 liters of broth and bring to a boil.
2. First, add the fish to cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, then add sea cucumber to cook for 15 minutes. After the water boils, add abalone along with 1 / 2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 3 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of oyster oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
3. Stir well the soup mixture, then add dried red apples and mushrooms. Pour 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch water to create a consistency for the soup. Season the seasoning again to match and then turn off the stove.Step 6: Finished products

Sea cucumber shark fin abalone soup has a characteristic sweet taste. The abalone meat is crisp, the shark fin meat is crisp and the sea cucumber is soft. The soup has a great taste and will be a delicious dish for your meal.

VI / How to store sea cucumbers longer

To preserve sea cucumbers for a longer time, you need:

Sealed packing : Put sea cucumber in a waterproof bag or sealed food container to prevent water and air from coming into direct contact with sea cucumber. Ensure that sea cucumber is tightly packed to avoid loss of moisture.

Frozen : A fairly effective method of preserving sea cucumbers for long periods of time is freezing. Before packing, you should clean and drain the sea cucumber. Then, place the sea cucumber in a waterproof bag or sealed container, remove all air from the inside, and then seal it. After packing, place the sea cucumber in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator.

Use dry ice : This is another way to freeze sea cucumbers. You need to put sea cucumbers in a waterproof bag, then put this bag in an insulated container. Put dry ice on top or next to sea cucumbers and put the box in the refrigerator. However, this way needs care to avoid freezing too quickly and harming the structure of sea cucumbers.

VII / Conclusion

In short, sea cucumber is not only a delicious dish but also a source of nutrition and outstanding health benefits. Hope you have been provided with enough information about sea cucumber to be able to process many delicious and nutritious dishes.