Abalone species

Abalone can be divided into the following main varieties according to their sources and processing methods:

1. Fresh abalone (frozen abalone):
   • Made from fresh abalone that is quickly frozen, mainly from Australian green lip abalone and black lip abalone.
   • Green-lip abalone has tender and smooth meat and is more expensive; black-lip abalone is slightly cheaper and has firmer meat.
2. Abalone soup (canned abalone):
   • Canned abalone is mainly Australian abalone, which has soft and smooth meat, lighter color, sweet taste and chewy texture.
   • Canned abalone is easy to eat and can be heated directly or added to home-cooked dishes. It is also cheaper than fresh abalone.
3. Dried Abalone:
   • Dried abalone is sun-dried and needs to be soaked for a long time before it can be eaten.
   • Dried abalone varieties include different abalone from the Middle East, South Africa and other places. South African abalone has tender and smooth texture and rich aroma; Middle Eastern abalone is smaller in size, harder in body and has slightly tough texture.

Benefits of Abalone

Abalone has many health benefits and is a good tonic for the body:

• Nourishing Yin and Beautifying the Skin: Abalone is rich in collagen, which can promote skin repair, delay aging and maintain skin elasticity.
• Nourishes the liver and improves eyesight: Abalone helps improve eyesight, especially for people with weak liver and kidneys and blurred vision.
• Strengthen the body: Abalone is rich in high protein and low fat. It can provide the nutrients needed by the human body, enhance immunity, and is suitable for consumption by the weak.
• Clearing away heat and detoxifying: Abalone also helps to clear away heat and detoxify, and is suitable for people who are in a high-pressure environment for a long time or have heat accumulation in the body.

How to choose abalone

When selecting abalone, you should consider the following criteria:

• Freshness: Choose abalone with plump meat and bright color. Fresh abalone should be transparent and elastic, with no peculiar or fishy smell.
• Appearance: The abalone's skirt should be thick and even. If the skirt is thin or cracked, it is of poor quality.
• No defects: Whether it is fresh abalone, dried abalone or canned abalone, you should avoid choosing products with damage or uneven appearance.
• Price and variety: The price of quick-frozen abalone is usually higher and the quality is relatively stable; dried abalone requires a long time to process and is also more expensive. When choosing, you should choose the appropriate abalone based on the variety and needs.

How to soak dried abalone

Dried abalone needs to be soaked before eating to restore its tender texture:

1. Soaking time: Soak the dried abalone in clean water for about two days, changing the water every 6-8 hours. This can remove impurities and promote the softening of the abalone.
2. Processing method: When the abalone becomes soft, use a brush to thoroughly clean its surface, especially the gaps in the skirt, to remove white frost and impurities.
3. Soak in warm water: Put the soaked abalone into warm water and add a small amount of ginger slices and green onion segments to blanch it, which can effectively remove the fishy smell.
4. Time control: If the dried abalone is thicker, it may need to be soaked for a longer time and stewed in clear soup to speed up the soaking process.

After being processed by the above method, the abalone will become soft and elastic, suitable for various stews and cooking.