AQUATIC GEM “SEA CUCUMBER”

The sea cucumber are marine animals. They are been revered by Chinese cooks since ancient times. In particular, sea cucumber meals have been offered on numerous special occasions. According to analysis by principles of traditional Chinese medicine, the sea cucumber nourishes the blood and vital essence tonifies kidney and moistens dryness. It has a salty quality and warming nature. Common uses include treating weakness, impotence, debility of the aged, constipation due to intestinal dryness, and frequent urination.Sea cucumber is traditionally served in the form of a soup. From the nutritional viewpoint, sea cucumber is an ideal tonic food.  It is higher in protein. For modern applications, the dried or extracted sea cucumber is useful as a nutritional supplement, prepared in capsules or tablets.  

What is Sea Cucumber ?

The sea cucumber are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea. They are marine animals. They are leathery skin , oblong shaped, gelatinous creature that is     distantly related to star fish and sea urchins. The sea cucumber comes by its name honestly: it is indeed shaped like a cucumber. In fact, you could say it has a distinctly phallic appearance, which may account for its reputation as an aphrodisiac. Another distinguishing feature is the tentacles around its mouth, which it uses to take in food.

Morphology

Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. Like all echinoderms, sea cucumbers have an endoskeleton just below the skin, calcified structures that are usually reduced to isolated microscopic ossicles (or sclerietes) joined by connective tissue. In some species these can sometimes be enlarged to flattened plates, forming an armour. There are hundreds of varieties of sea cucumber found in oceans throughout the world. Depending on where you travel. The Chinese name for sea cucumber - hai shen - translates roughly into "sea ginseng." It's unclear whether this is in recognition of the sea cucumber's reputation as an aphrodisiac, or because it is considered to be quite healthful. It may also have something to do with its slippery feel, as the texture of food weights more heavily in Chinese cooking than other cuisines. 

Types

There is a fresh form and there is a dried form. Both the fresh and dried form are used for cooking.

The taste is described as "tasteless and bland. They are dried for preservation purposes and have to be rehydrated by boiling and soaking in water for several days. They are mainly used as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine soups or stews. 

Nutritional Content

From the nutritional viewpoint, sea cucumber is an ideal tonic food.  It is higher in protein (at 55%) than most any other food except egg whites (at 99%), and it is lower in fat than most foods (less than 2%).Vitamin-A content is (at 6%) followed by Iron (3%) and calcium (3%).For modern applications, the dried or extracted sea cucumber is useful as a nutritional supplement, prepared in capsules or tablets.  The fully dried material has a protein concentration as high as 83. 

Medicinal Uses

For nourishing essence and blood in persons who suffer from emaciation, it is combined in soup with pork.  For impotence, frequent urination, and other signs of kidney deficiency, sea cucumber is cooked with mutton. For yin and blood deficiency, especially manifesting as intestinal dryness, sea cucumber is combined with tremella (the silvery tree mushroom). From the Western medical viewpoint, the reason sea cucumber is valuable is because it serves as a rich source of the polysaccharide condroiton sulfate, which is well-known for its ability to reduce arthritis pain: as little as 3 grams per day of the dried sea cucumber has been helpful in significantly reducing arthralgia. Its action is similar to that of glucosamine sulfate, which is useful for treating osteoarthritis.  Sulfated polysaccharides also inhibit viruses; there is a Japanese patent for sea cucumber chondroitin sulfate for HIV therapy.

Preparing Sea Cucumber

When first caught, sea cucumber requires an extensive amount of preparation before making the transition from ocean floor to your dinner plate. The complicated procedure takes place over several days and involves slitting open the belly and removing the guts, as well as washing and boiling the animal several times. Fresh sea cucumber that has already been cleaned and soaked is sometimes available in Asian markets, usually in the cold foods section or in containers of water. Many Asian stores also carry dried sea cucumber. It also needs to be soaked for several hours before cooking.

How to Cook it

 There are a number of dishes made with sea cucumber as this ingredient is expected to have a strong cultural emphasis on health. In most dishes, the sea cucumber has a slippery texture. Common ingredients that go with sea cucumber dishes include winter melon, capsicum, mushroom, and Cabbage,Carrot. Sea cucumbers destined for food are traditionally harvested by hand on small watercraft. Like tofu, sea cucumber is flavorless, but has the ability to soak up the flavors of foods and seasonings it is cooked with. It is used in soups, stir-fries, and certain braised dishes.

Fresh sea cucumber

Dry sea cucumber

Braised Sea Cucumber Recipe
Ingredients:

1 lb(500g) fresh or reconstituted sea cucumbers

1 carrot

5 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp chilly, chopped

1/2 tsp ginger, shredded

1/4 tsp garlic, sliced

1 tbsp soy sauce

4 fl oz (120ml) vegetable stock

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tsp water

1/4 tsp sesame oil

Procedure:

1. Cut the sea cucumbers open at the stomach and clean.Wash well and slice.Blanch in boiling water for 1min, remove and drain. slice the carrot thinly.

2. Heat the oil in a wok to about 350 F(170C), or until a piece of  green chilly or ginger sizzles and moves around when tossed into the oil.  Add the sea cucumber and stir fry for 30seconds. Add the chilly, ginger and garlic. Stir. Add the carrot slices. Stir fry.Add the soy sauce, stock, sugar and salt.  When the stock comes to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stir until thickened. Sprinkle with the sesame oil.

Remove and serve.