A trepang is a marine invertebrate belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. Sea cucumbers, holothurians, or sea lilies are mollusks whose bodies tend to shrink at the slightest touch, resembling a cucumber or an old-fashioned water lily.
There are currently 1,150 species, distinguished by their structure, tentacle shape, color, and appearance. Their closest relatives are sea stars and sea urchins. They can be found in Russia. there are about a hundred species of these animalsThe most popular of which are the Japanese sea cucumber (cucumaria) and the Far Eastern trepang, which are used to prepare healthy and delicious dishes. The sea cucumber can reach up to half a meter in size, and the heaviest known weight to date is 1,500 grams!
Trepang: description
These worm-like animals are most often found in the waters of the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, where they live at fairly great depths (about 100 meters or more). In appearance, the mollusk resembles a cucumber (hence the name): elongated oval-shaped body, a thick skin covered with long, spine-like growths. Sea cucumbers have a number of medicinal properties and have been used as food for a long time.
The appearance of a holothurian
The holothurian is a unique inhabitant of the underwater world, resembling both a huge worm and a large caterpillar. The mollusk's soft body can be completely smooth or rough (depending on the species) and covered with short or long outgrowthsColor: red, gray, green, brown or black.
Sea cucumbers also vary in size. The animals range from tiny (0.5 cm) to incredibly large (up to five meters!), which is what makes them so attractive to marine hunters.
The sea cucumber's mouth is virtually devoid of any adaptations for crushing and chewing food. It is located either at the anterior end of the body or slightly offset ventrally. The few forms of this marine creature that are able to attach themselves to rocks or burrow into mud have a vaulted, flask-shaped, or spherical shape. This is explained by the fact that the sea cucumber's anus and mouth are slightly offset dorsally.
All sea cucumbers have characteristic tentacles, located around the mouth. These appendages are modified ambulacral feet. The structure of the tentacles varies among different members of the trepang order, and their number ranges from 8 to 30. The tentacles can be short and shield-shaped, primarily used for collecting nutrients from the ground surface, or tree-like, branching, covering a fairly large area of water when catching prey.
But despite the holothurian's unusual shape, it's almost always possible to distinguish between its ventral and dorsal sides. The morphological structure of the sea cucumber's abdomen doesn't correspond to that of other animals. Because these worm-like animals always crawl on their sides, the terms "dorsal" and "ventral" don't quite correspond to commonly accepted concepts.
Most forms of sea lilies does not have a clear separation of boundaries between the head and the bodyHowever, in some species, a slight separation of the body from the head can still be discerned. Sea cucumbers are very slow and move from place to place by slowly stretching and contracting. However, their normal state is to lie quietly on their sides, which makes them much easier to catch.
Composition and properties
Sea cucumbers can easily be considered a dietary product, as they are very low in calories (only 33 kcal per 100 g). The beneficial properties of shellfish are determined by their composition. Sea cucumbers contains the following substances:
- fluorine;
magnesium;- cobalt;
- potassium;
- iodine;
- copper;
- bromine;
- chlorine;
- sulfur;
- nickel;
- calcium;
- iron;
- vitamins C, A, E, PP and other elements.
magnesium;Sea cucumber is a unique natural substance that can help speed recovery after surgery or illness. Eastern medicine uses sterile sea cucumber flesh. to normalize metabolic processes, lowering blood pressure, stimulating cardiac activity, accelerating tissue regeneration, and even eliminating bradycardia and tachycardia.
Thus, sea cucumbers have a beneficial effect on human health, and including them in your daily diet can help prevent many diseases. Sea cucumbers also have a healing effect on joints, making them widely used to treat arthritis. The components found in sea cucumber meat can help reduce joint stiffness and relieve pain.
Not only fresh sea cucumber meat has beneficial properties, but also sea cucumber extractAccording to Chinese doctors, this mollusk extract, obtained using a unique recipe, prolongs life, improves the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and also helps to saturate the body with a complex of essential elements and strengthen the immune system. The extract is especially recommended for people with chronic illnesses and the elderly.
Thus, sea cucumber meat is a unique raw material for the production of medicines and medicinal extracts.
Sea cucumbers also have a wide range of culinary uses. They are eaten canned, stewed, or fried, and are also used in delicious salads.
However, there are also contraindications to the use of drugs based on trepang and its meat:
- Hyperthyroidism. Eating sea cucumbers may exacerbate the condition;
- hypertension. The product helps to significantly lower blood pressure;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- age up to 15 years;
- individual intolerance.
How to cook?
Preparing sea cucumbers for consumption is quite simple. However, it requires some preparation beforehand. First, dried shellfish should be thoroughly washed until the black powder completely disappears. Then place it in a container of water to soak for a while. Change the water periodically. After this, boil the sea cucumber in clean water until tender (at least three hours).
Sea cucumbers are a staple in a wide variety of dishes. These include solyanka, soup, pilaf, salad, and all sorts of appetizers. Sea cucumbers can also be used as a filling for cutlets. Dishes containing this mollusk can be served with a variety of sauces (especially spicy ones).
Trepang with honey has gained particular popularity among gourmets not only for its unique taste, but also for its very beneficial properties.
Over-dried shellfish should be soaked for several days until the product stops emitting an iodine smell and the water after rinsing becomes completely clear.
Storing sea cucumbers
Store the dried product in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight. Cooked or fresh sea cucumbers can be frozen if needed. However, avoid storing sea cucumbers in the freezer for too long (more than two months), otherwise they will lose their beneficial properties.
The Japanese use sea cucumbers raw. For this remove the animal's entrails, cut it into small pieces and season with vinegar or soy sauce. People in the Pacific Ocean and Japan also use the gonads and intestines of sea cucumbers for cooking. These products are more valuable than the trepang's skin-muscle sac.
Canned sea cucumbers are in high demand worldwide, leading some modern factories and companies in European countries to mass-produce canned sea cucumber meat products. Not only is sea cucumber hunting widely practiced, but also its artificial breeding, including here in Russia (Far East).
So, this seemingly unsightly and, to some extent, even disgusting sea animal is capable of not only ridding you of many ailments, but also providing you with a healthy and satisfying dinner.
