Awabi is a type of sushi made from abalone, a snail-like sea animal. It is typically served raw or lightly cooked and has a subtle, chewy texture. The meat is sliced thinly against the grain and served on a shell, often with soy sauce. Farm-raised abalone is preferred for sustainability.
Awabi is a type of sushi made with the sea animal of the same name, which is a Japanese term for an animal also known as abalone. While the colorful appearance inside the shell may initially suggest that abalone is similar to an oyster or clam, it is actually a type of snail that is capable of moving very slowly along the ocean floor. Awabi is typically served raw or only lightly cooked, and is often served on the shell in a similar way to oysters, often with just a little soy sauce for flavor.
Fresh abalones are typically harvested from the ocean floor, especially in fairly shallow areas, and are harvested not only for eating but for the shells they are found in. The opalescent qualities of abalone shell have been revered for use in jewelry and similar applications for many years. Although abalone is often eaten in America, preparing awabi as a type of sushi is an exquisite form of Japanese cuisine enjoyed in both Japan and America.
Awabi has a well-known flavor that is quite distinct though slightly subtle, making it a favorite treat for people who appreciate such delicate tastes. The texture of the creature is slightly chewy and cooking the awabi only increases the toughness and makes it somewhat less palatable. This is why it’s a pretty perfect food for use in sushi, as keeping it raw or only lightly cooked doesn’t further increase the chewy quality.
The awabi is typically separated from its shell and can be sliced thinly against the grain of the meat. This is often done with cuts of meat that may be potentially tough or chewy, to increase the tenderness of the cut. The grain typically indicates long bunches of strong muscle, and trimming with the grain would preserve the cut meat as long pieces of muscle. Cutting against this grain, however, creates cuts of meat that are made up of short pieces of muscle that are easily chewed and broken down, making them more tender.
Awabi can also be lightly scored with a knife to likewise increase the tenderness of the dish. This also creates a rougher surface that the soy sauce can coat better. Awabi is usually served on the shell, although the nicer shells are typically selected, so it may not be served on the shell it was originally separate from. Farm-raised abalone is usually preferred since it is more sustainable, and wild abalone is often over-harvested.
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