Giant sea snail, 6 people can't eat it all
The flesh of the snail is white, clear, and crunchy like chicken gizzards. The intestines are light brown, soft, and have a rich, fatty taste.
Large snails are caught naturally, so this is one of the seafood that many people love and seek to buy.
The large snail, also known as the golden horn snail, often appears in the coastal waters of the South Central region extending down to the South. For Southern people, the golden horn snail is more familiar, it often lives in shallow waters near reefs, caves, cliffs, around islands with clear water. The horn snail is large, has a thick shell, and weighs an average of 0.3 - 0.5 kg/piece, with some weighing over a kilo.
The large snails in Quang Yen sea are quite big.
However, the large snails in the Quang Ninh sea are different. According to Mr. Ngo Hoang Huy, manager of Hai Linh restaurant (Mao Khe, Quang Ninh), this type of snail caught in the Quang Ninh sea is about 1 kg in weight, larger than the type in the South. Large snails can reach a weight of over 3 kg.
Snail weight from 1 - 3 kg
“Golden horn snails can live for weeks after being caught if left in salt water. Therefore, they can be brought to restaurants quite easily while still alive. Seafood lovers and drinkers really love this golden horn snail dish,” Mr. Huy added.
Snail meat
Due to frequent orders from customers, Mr. Huy has to order 3-4 large snails from wholesalers every day to serve customers on time. On hot days or weekends, the quantity even has to double, although their price is not cheap.
Because if processed into a dish, each kg costs 550,000 - 600,000 VND, depending on the price of snails at that time. But because we only sell fresh products, if customers want to eat them, they have to take the whole snail. "If there are only 2 - 3 people, you only need to catch a snail weighing more than 1 kg, but if there are 6 - 7 people on a tray, you have to catch a snail weighing 3 kg, the price of large snails will also multiply according to the weight", said Mr. Huy.
The price of large snails ranges from 550,000 - 600,000 VND/kg
Taste-stimulating dishes: “This specialty of the Quang Yen (Ha Long) coastal region can be prepared in many ways, so customers won’t get bored even if they eat a lot. But the best is still stir-fried, stewed with Chinese herbs, or grilled,” said Mr. Huy.
In the South, golden horn snails may not be too rare, but in Quang Ninh, restaurants must have a good relationship to import them. The snails are not sold retail in the market and each day only a maximum of 10 kg.
Some restaurants in Quang Ninh are even competing with each other with this snail dish. According to Dong Van Kien, owner of a seafood restaurant in Dong Trieu (Quang Ninh), some customers even call in advance to order, and if there are no snails, they will go to another restaurant.
