Awabi, Abalone あわび、鮑
(Haliotis discus discus).
Abalones are small to large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs. These slow-moving, konbu-eating sea snails are very expensive. They can reach a length of up to 20 cm.
Abalone shells are round or oval with a dome towards one end. The shell has perforations sitting in a row, through which water is drawn into the gill cavity and waste products are removed. The muscular foot has strong suction power permitting the abalone to hold on to rocky surfaces. The inside of the house usually shows iridescent mother-of-pearl colors, which are used to make jewelry or mother-in-pearl decorations.
(Haliotis discus discus).
Abalones are small to large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs. These slow-moving, konbu-eating sea snails are very expensive. They can reach a length of up to 20 cm.
Abalone shells are round or oval with a dome towards one end. The shell has perforations sitting in a row, through which water is drawn into the gill cavity and waste products are removed. The muscular foot has strong suction power permitting the abalone to hold on to rocky surfaces. The inside of the house usually shows iridescent mother-of-pearl colors, which are used to make jewelry or mother-in-pearl decorations.
The meat of abalone is since the Heian-period seen as a delicacy. It has a crunchy texture and is full of the aroma of the sea. It is eaten raw as sashimi or on sushi. In kaiseiki and kappo cuisines, one encounters awabi also served steamed, grilled, boiled, or simmered in soy sauce. While the chewiness of raw awabi is quite popular, steaming increases the umami of awabi, and sushi made with steamed awabi (mushi-awabi) is a type of Edomae-zushi that has an exceptional appeal in summer. The intestines (wata) eaten with ponzu sauce are also very flavorful. Awabi is best from summer to fall (shun).
[Ama diving for abalone, by Utamaro (1788-90) ]
In all, this is a real delicacy and a luxury item. In central Honshu (the Bay of Ise) awabi used to be harvested by female divers (ama) - it now still exists as a spectacle for tourists.
[Inside of an abalone]