This type of seafood, often referred to as the "MSG" of the rich, is expensive but still highly sought after.

In Vietnam, sea worms, also known as sand worms or earthworms, have a shape quite similar to earthworms, but since ancient times, this seafood has been considered one of the rare and precious species.

There are two types of sea worms: fresh and dried. While fresh sea worms are soft, chewy, and often used in delicious dishes like stir-fried kohlrabi, soups, and porridges, dried sea worms are appealing due to their crispiness and can be stored and used for a long time.

Sea worms (Sipunculus nudus) resemble earthworms in shape. (Photo: Cam Pha Seafood)

Nowadays, sea worms are sold at quite high prices. A kilogram of fresh sea worms can cost up to 300,000-650,000 VND. Dried sea worms currently cost 4-7 million VND/kg, depending on the type. On average, about 10-12 kg of fresh sea worms are needed to obtain 1 kg of dried sea worms. After harvesting, fresh sea worms must be washed to remove sand, blanched in boiling water, and then dried quickly over a charcoal stove while maintaining their appearance.

Sea worms (Sipunculus nudus) are found in coastal areas such as Van Don, Mong Cai, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Kien Giang … However, sea worms from the Quan Lan sea area are still considered the best.

Sea worms (Sipunculus nudus) are a valuable seafood with beneficial effects on human health. They are a famous seafood from the Van Don sea in Quang Ninh province. In particular, sea worms are used as food in Southeast Asian cuisine and Asian cuisine in general.

Sipunculus is a type of mollusk, invertebrate, similar to an earthworm, and reddish-brown in color. Its body has small horizontal stripes, and it lacks internal organs, consisting only of a small intestine connecting head to tail, filled with sand. Its average length is generally 5 to 10 cm, although some can reach 10 to 40 cm. It is also considered a valuable medicinal ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, believed to cool the body and improve health. The best time to harvest these worms is from January to May according to the Gregorian calendar.

Sea worms (Sipunculus nudus) only live in coastal sandbanks where the tide rises and falls. These creatures usually hide in sand crevices and rock caves in coastal areas, sometimes at seabed depths of up to 30 meters.

Dried sea worms are priced from 4 to 7 million VND/kg. (Photo: Cam Pha Seafood)

This type of seafood resembles an earthworm in shape and is reddish-brown in color. Its body is covered with tiny, vein-like ridges running lengthwise, resembling tendons but larger and lighter in color. Its intestine is a long tube running from head to tail and contains sand.

A fresh sea worm is 7-15cm long with a thick body. When dried, the sea worm's body is only about 6-10cm long.

Sea worms (Sipunculus nudus) have many health benefits for humans. This delicacy, considered as precious as gold, contains many amino acids, alanine, succinic acid, and various minerals. To buy delicious sea worms, you need to keep the following points in mind:

When buying fresh sea worms

To buy fresh and delicious seafood, choose large, plump fish. Select those that are free of sand and have a distinctive ocean smell.

Sea worms that are hastily purchased are of poor quality and need to be carefully selected. Because even though sea worms may look similar in taste and nutritional value, they cannot be of the highest quality.

When buying dried sea worms

Dried sea worms are often purchased by tourists as gifts for family and friends. When buying this dried delicacy, you should avoid those that have changed color, as they may have been stored for too long or become moldy, which can be harmful to your health. You should choose dried sea worms that are thick and uniform in size. This seafood has a distinctive aroma, is not fishy, ​​and has an ivory white color.

When buying sea worms, it's inevitable that they'll still have sand inside. Therefore, you need to cut off both ends of the sea worms, then lightly roast them without oil. After that, gently rub them with your hands to remove the sand, then add some oil and stir. The sea worms are ready when they turn a light yellow color.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/loai-hai-san-duoc-vi-nhu-mi-chinh-cua-nha-giau-gia-dat-do-nhung-van-duoc-san-don-307726.html