Processing Sea Cucumber
How to Process Sea Cucumber?
Processing Dried Sea Cucumber
- Day 1 : Prepare one stainless steel pot with lid of 12 inch in diameter. Make sure the pot is clean and free of oil and rice water (!IMPORTANT)
- You can prepare up to about 5 big pcs of sea cucumber or fill up to a quarter in height of the pot. This will allow room for the sea cucumber to expand
- Soak the sea cucumbers(water covering the sea cucumber) for 2 days changing the water(use filtered water or tap water is fine in Singapore) daily, making sure there is no oil and rice water in the pot with lid on. New Island sea cucumber is more than 95% dried thus giving you value for money and therefore the longer soaking time
- Day 3 : Change to a fresh pot of water making sure to fill up to 90% of the pot and bring the sea cucumber to boil in big fire. Stir the sea cucumber at intervals of 20-30s while boiling to avoid the sea cucumber from sticking to the pot. Once the water comes to a boil, continue boiling the sea cucumber for another 15mins and remember to continue stirring the sea cucumber during the 15mins of boiling process. Leave the pot of sea cucumber to cool after boiling. When the pot of sea cucumber has cooled, pour away the water and change to a fresh pot of water and soak overnight
- Day 4 : Wash the sea cucumber taking note to clear the sand intestine. Although the internal organs of the sea cucumber have been removed, there maybe a layer of sand intestine that is not completely removed which needs to be washed away. Do not worry if the sand intestine does not come off completely. The reboil process later on will further soften it, allowing it to be removed easily
- After washing, continue to soak the sea cucumber in a new pot of water
- Day 5 : Wash the sea cucumber and change to a fresh pot of water and bring the sea cucumber to boil in big fire. Stir the cucumber at intervals of 20-30s while boiling to avoid the sea cucumber from sticking to the pot. Once the water has come to a boil, continue to boil the sea cucumber for 10mins and again remember to continue stirring the sea cucumber during the 10 mins of boiling process. Leave the pot of sea cucumber to cool after boiling. When the pot of sea cucumber has cooled, pour away the water and change to a fresh pot of water and soak overnight
- Day 6 : Wash the sea cucumber and remove the remaining sand intestine. Using a fresh pot of water making sure that there are no traces of oil or rice water can be found. Bring the pot of sea cucumber to a boil stirring occasionally and continue for another 10mins after the water has come to a boil. Leave the pot of sea cucumber to cool. After the water has cooled, change the water and store in the fridge (lower compartment)
- Day 7 : Change the water and put the pot of sea cucumber back into the fridge
- Day 8 : Again change the water and put the pot of sea cucumber back into the fridge. This will allow the sea cucumber to expand to its maximum size
- Day 9 : Your hard work will have been paid off and you will see your sea cucumber in full size and ready to be cooked
- Note: Usually, it will take 3 boiling process to achieve the required softness (subjected to individual preference). You may want to repeat the boiling process depending on how you would like to cook the sea cucumber
- Too tedious? If you have no time to process, we sell processed sea cucumber too. Contact Us Now!
Storing Sea Cucumber
- Drain the sea cucumber and place in a plastic container or bag or ziplock bag and place it in the freezer section
- Sea cucumber when stored in the freezer can retain its freshness for up to a year
- To cook, defrost the sea cucumber in a clean pot of fresh water.