A smooth, cylindrical marine worm with a startling snap. The body is pale pink to light tan outside and translucent within, and it stays crunchy through a fast cook instead of softening like squid.

What it is

Urechis unicinctus, the spoon worm known along the Yellow Sea coast as sea sausage. Supplied gutted, rinsed and ready to cut, with the ends trimmed square.

Where it comes from

Hand-dug from intertidal sand flats in the northern Yellow Sea and landed the same day. Cleaned in a chilled room, then blast frozen within four hours of harvest.

Specifications

Condition on arrival

Blast frozen and shipped solid. The pack is flat, so it stacks and thaws evenly; cut what you need while it is still firm.

Storage and thawing

• Keep at −18 °C or colder
• Thaw in the refrigerator for six to eight hours, still sealed
• Rinse in cold salted water and pat dry before cooking
• Never refreeze after thawing

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before: 12 months from the production date on the pack
• Cold chain delivery in an insulated liner with gel packs
• Check the pack is firm and the seal unbroken on arrival

How to cook it

• Garlic chives — the classic pairing; blanch first, then flash fry
• Charcoal grill — brush with oil, 60 seconds a side, salt only
• Rice bowl — simmer briefly in a savoury sauce and spoon over rice
• Hot pot — ten seconds at the table is enough

Allergen information

Contains marine worms. Packed in a facility that also handles fish, molluscs and crustaceans.