Wild Dried Golden Sandfish

Wild golden sandfish, a variety of sea cucumber, dried plain without added salt. It feeds on deep-water algae, microorganisms and fine sand, and it grows slowly — which is what gives it the thick body wall and the springy, almost sashimi-like bite it is valued for.

It rehydrates well: expect it to swell to at least four times its dried size, which is a high yield for a dried sea cucumber and part of why it is worth the work.

Why Choose It?

• Wild, not farmed: slow growing, with a thicker body wall for it.
• Plain dried: dried without added salt, so you are buying sea cucumber rather than cure.
• High rehydration: swells to at least four times its dried size.
• Springy texture: thick-walled with a firm, bouncy bite.
• Keeps indefinitely: dried, it will sit in the cupboard until you want it.

How To Rehydrate It

This is the part that puts people off, and it does not need to. The key words are: no oil, pure water, a thermal cooker, the fridge, four days.

1. Day one: rinse the dust off and soak in clean water in a cool place for a day. The container must be oil-free and your hands must be clean.
2. Day two: if it has not softened much, change the water and soak another day. In warm weather, soak it in the fridge.
3. Day two or three: clean out the innards and the filter tubes. Then bring it to the boil in a pot, simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, and transfer it to a thermal cooker to sit overnight. No thermal cooker? Use a rice cooker on its keep-warm setting — the point is the long, gentle heat.
4. Day four: it should now be soft and swollen. Rinse, cover with clean water and keep it in the fridge until you cook it.

The One Rule:
No oil at any stage. A trace of oil will break the sea cucumber down and it will never firm up again.

Please Note:
This is a food ingredient. We make no claims about what it does for health, and nothing here is dietary advice. If you are managing a medical condition, pregnant, or recovering from illness or surgery, talk to your doctor about your diet.

Storage:
Keep the dried product sealed in a cool, dry place away from moisture, or freeze it for longer storage.

Four days of patience, and then something worth it. Order now.