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Food & Receipts

“The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Tender, Crispy Snails: A Deliciously Crunchy and Satisfying Treat”

12 November, 2024

How to Choose Delicious Snails

When buying snails, to determine if they are fatty and tasty, gently press near the snail’s mouth. If the operculum (the ‘trap door’ of the snail shell) is right at the edge of the mouth, it indicates a fatty snail; if it’s recessed, the snail is likely lean.

If the operculum is recessed and there’s an unusual smell, the snail is probably dead and rotten.

To ensure a clean and tasty boiled snail dish, it’s crucial to be meticulous in the snail-choosing process.

According to folk wisdom, it’s best to eat snails during the first or last quarter of the lunar month, as the snails are fattier and meatier, without any baby snails.

The best types of snails for boiling are stone snails, whelks, and cantaloupe snails.

Tips for Cleaning Snails

Snails tend to be slimy and full of mud and dirt. Therefore, after purchasing them, it’s essential to clean them thoroughly to remove any impurities, making the snails more appetizing after cooking.

Here are some tips for quickly and effectively cleaning snails:

Using Rice Water: The best way to remove the slime and mud from snails is with rice water. Fill a basin with rice water and soak the snails for about 1-2 hours. The mud in the snail’s mouth will be expelled, and a simple rinse with water will leave you with clean snails ready for cooking.
Alternatively, you can soak the snails in a mixture of vinegar, lemon, and chili pepper. All these methods help to clean the snails, reducing the presence of sand and dirt in the snail meat.

How to Boil Snails to Perfection

After cleaning the snails, it is recommended to line the bottom of the pot with slightly crushed lemon leaves, ginger, or lemongrass. Then, add the snails, a little fermented rice, and a small amount of water before boiling. The aroma of these spices will eliminate the fishy smell and leave a pleasant fragrance after boiling.

Note: Avoid adding too much water to the pot, as it will dilute the natural sweetness of the snails.

The perfect dipping sauce is the soul of boiled snail dishes.

Additionally, boil the snails for only 2-3 minutes, just until the operculum comes off. Overcooking will cause the snail’s gut to retract and break, making it difficult to extract. During the cooking process, avoid opening the lid or stirring the pot before it reaches a rolling boil.

How to Make the Perfect Dipping Sauce for Boiled Snails

Ginger Fish Sauce: To make this sauce, first, pound the ginger until fine, then squeeze out the juice. Next, mix it with fresh chili peppers and minced garlic. Add a little sugar and fish sauce to taste, stirring until the mixture thickens. Finally, squeeze a little lemon juice into the bowl, sprinkle with finely chopped lemon leaves, and your dipping sauce is ready.
Tamarind Fish Sauce: Fry some shallots and garlic, then add tamarind juice, fish sauce, white sugar, and water to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a bowl, adding some finely chopped chili peppers to taste.