In Vietnam, there is a type of sea ginseng that is more expensive the uglier it is because of its high nutritional value. What is it?

Sea cucumbers are a group of marine animals with long bodies and furry skin, with bones located just under the skin. They are also known by other names such as sea cucumbers, sea leeches, sea cucumbers... They are a type of seafood found in abundance on Ly Son Island (Vietnam), Jeju Island (Korea), and even appear in the waters of Japan, the US, China, and Malaysia.

The reason why sea cucumbers are so named is because of their rough, black appearance that looks like a large leech. Around the sea cucumber are tentacles like octopuses, making many people "shudder" just by looking at them, not daring to hold or touch them.

Known as the "ginseng of the sea", sea cucumber has become a specialty that attracts customers despite its high price and unattractive appearance (Photo: Dmitrii Melnikov).

Despite its unattractive appearance, sea cucumber is one of the luxury specialties that is very popular with the rich because it provides high nutritional content, lots of protein, low fat, low cholesterol,... and has a unique flavor that cannot be confused with any other dish.

On Ly Son Island ( Quang Ngai ), people who want to catch sea leeches must hunt at night and need a lot of experience. This animal moves quite slowly so catching them is not difficult. However, only sharp-eyed divers can detect sea cucumbers from air bubbles in rock crevices to catch and bring home.

Sea cucumber has high nutritional value and is considered to bring many wonderful health benefits (Photo: Justdial).

Sea cucumbers can be caught all year round, but the most delicious and nutritious sea cucumbers are in the summer. During the "peak" season, fishermen can even harvest "giant" sea cucumbers, weighing up to several kilograms.

Not only does it require skillful fishing techniques, but the process of preparing sea cucumbers also requires a lot of effort. Local people often remove the intestines of sea cucumbers, wash them and drain them. Then boil them with papaya leaves, soak them in water 2-3 times and then knead them thoroughly with salt to reduce the black color. Put the cleaned sea cucumbers in the refrigerator or soak them in cold water to increase their crispiness before processing.

In Ly Son, sea cucumbers are often processed into many delicious dishes such as stir-fried sea cucumbers with mushrooms and other vegetables, hot pot, sea cucumber soup, etc. Although they have a strange and unattractive shape, sea cucumbers have a strangely delicious flavor, easily attracting diners from the first time they enjoy them.

Not only is it an ingredient for many unique dishes, sea cucumber also has high nutritional value and is used as a natural medicine to nourish blood, nourish the kidneys, and benefit the essence.

Sea cucumbers are very nutritious, no less than ginseng. Their meat is one of the eight famous "delicacies" (eight treasures) of the East, along with bird's nest, abalone, shark fin...

Sea cucumbers are considered a delicacy not only in Vietnam but also popular in many countries around the world such as Japan, China, Malaysia... They are often processed into soups, stews, braised or dried. Japanese people often like to eat fresh sea cucumbers with a little vinegar.

In Korea, especially on Jeju Island, people often process sea cucumbers into sashimi after catching them from the sea, serving them to diners right on the spot.

Sea cucumbers are soaked in salt water for 30 minutes before processing to remove the fishy smell. Then, they are cleaned of their internal organs, keeping only the meat on the outside. The sea cucumber meat is washed again with water and cut into small, bite-sized pieces.

The chewy, juicy sea cucumber pieces are served with a special soy sauce to enhance the flavor of the dish. Some Korean restaurants also serve sea leeches pre-soaked in the seasoning water for diners to enjoy.

This delicious dish made from sea cucumber easily stimulates all the senses of diners from the first time they enjoy it.

Because of its high nutritional value and unique delicious flavor, sea cucumbers are expensive foods, averaging around 700,000 - 1,000,000 VND/kg, depending on the type. One of the most expensive types is Japanese sea cucumber, priced at 3,500 USD/kg (about 68 million VND), the more unusual the shape, the higher the price.

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