Have you ever seen a Yakougai be de-shelled for eating? 🐚🤷🏽‍♂️

Have you ever seen a Yakougai be de-shelled for eating? 🐚🤷🏽‍♂️

Yakougai (夜光貝), also known as the “great green turban shell,” is a prized sea snail in Japanese cuisine, especially in places like Okinawa and Kyushu. Watching one be de-shelled is a bit of a process! Here’s how it typically goes:

1. Crack or cut the shell carefully – The shell is thick and strong, so they often use a heavy knife or even a specialized saw to access the inside without damaging the meat.

2. Twist and pull the operculum (the hard disc “lid”) – That part gets separated first.

3. Extract the body – The meat is pulled out, often with a twisting motion or with a long, thin utensil.

4. Clean and trim – They remove the inedible parts like the gut or stomach. The rest (mostly the foot and mantle) is cleaned thoroughly.

5. Slice for sashimi, grill, or simmer – The meat is firm and sweet, great raw or cooked.