Abalone. A Delicacy?

[Wellington]

Thought we'd renew acquaintance with Koh Sireh today, not been there for a couple of years, to see how the new Hotelis progressing and it's enormous, takes up most of a hill .

and sample some Abalone at The Abalone Farm Restaurant.

Well if you are one who likes sea snails , go there .

The view and setting is sensational.

But the Restaurant was almost empty .

We had to try the abalone of course.

Had a portion with garlic and a portion with black pepper, two plates contained nine tiny abalone and a lot of onion and garlic. six hundred bht.

The menu was very comprehensive and I'm sure excellent for other fish but six hundred for nine little molluscs?

Any body else been there?

[jerrylee]

Thought we'd renew acquaintance with Koh Sireh today, not been there for a couple of years, to see how the new Hotelis progressing and it's enormous, takes up most of a hill .

and sample some Abalone at The Abalone Farm Restaurant.

Well if you are one who likes sea snails , go there .

The view and setting is sensational.

But the Restaurant was almost empty .

We had to try the abalone of course.

Had a portion with garlic and a portion with black pepper, two plates contained nine tiny abalone and a lot of onion and garlic. six hundred bht.

The menu was very comprehensive and I'm sure excellent for other fish but six hundred for nine little molluscs?

Any body else been there?

One of the finest and most expensive ingredients used in Chinese cuisine.

.. theres a Khao-Tom places opposite Chula that sells abolone khao-tom for 500 bht a bowl

and you only get a few thin slices ...

[Nilrem]

One of the finest and most expensive ingredients used in Chinese cuisine.

.. theres a Khao-Tom places opposite Chula that sells abolone khao-tom for 500 bht a bowl

and you only get a few thin slices ...

Great delicacy! Forty years ago used to dive off the coast of British Columbia for abalone. There were large, abundant and of excellent quality. With the influx of Vietnamese after the Vietnam War they got into the abalone business and sold into the Chinese market. The abalone stock was wiped out. Don't know if they are making a comeback or not.

[Zpete]

New Zealand abalone is fab, certainly NOT small sea snails as mentioned in an earlier post.

It is is highly protected due to invasion of Asians and Pacific islanders. Local Maoris reckon they should have open season.

The minimum size is around 3 inches.

Have a look here........

http://www.pauashell.co.nz/About/Paua---Ne...alands-Abalone/

Personally, 50 years ago when it was in abundance I was a happy diver collecting it, love it, but smashed with a mallet, cooked whole, NOT slices........<deleted>.

Edited August 14, 2009 by Zpete

[Zpete]

New Zealand abalone is fab, certainly NOT small sea snails as mentioned in an earlier post.

It is is highly protected due to invasion of Asians and Pacific islanders. Local Maoris reckon they should have open season.

The minimum size is around 3 inches.

Have a look here........

http://www.pauashell.co.nz/About/Paua---Ne...alands-Abalone/

Personally, 50 years ago when it was in abundance I was a happy diver collecting it, love it, but smashed with a mallet, cooked whole, NOT slices........<deleted>.

I found this on U-Tube....... mouthwatering, NZ style cooking.

Mind you, getting paua (abalone) this size is rare in shops, go find your own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTIxNQjQRlI...mp;feature=fvwp

Yummy.

[jerrylee]

smashed with a mallet

Apparently it used to be abundant also in Australia, and my friend told me that

as a kid, they didn't eat them but instead "hide" them inside people's hub-caps

so it's difficult to locate the foul smell !!

Served whole is of course a luxury, but it is also diced/chopped into tiny pieces

and mixed with other ingredients used in up-market dim-sum stuffings,

chewy texture is its second most praised quality.

[NBT TV Phuket]

2 videos from NBT TV about Phuket Abalone Farm last year:

[jerrylee]

2 videos from NBT TV about Phuket Abalone Farm last year:

Exotic Proteins

The geoduck (pronounced /ˈɡuː.iːdʌk/ "gooey duck"[1]), Panopea abrupta, is a species of very large saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Hiatellidae. Alternate spellings include gweduc, gweduck and goiduck. It is sometimes known as the king clam, or when translated literally from the Chinese characters 象拔蚌, the elephant trunk clam.

The geoduck's high market value has created an $80 million U.S. industry, with harvesting occurring in both Washington state and the province of British Columbia. It is one of the most closely regulated fisheries in both countries; in Washington, Department of Natural Resources staff are on the water continually monitoring harvests in order to assure revenues are received, and the same is true in Canada where the Underwater Harvesters' Association manages the Canadian Fishery in conjunction with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Washington State Department of Health tests water and flesh in order to assure clams are not filtering and holding pollutants ..

[steelepulse]

Just looking at the image of that video above, I can't believe how tiny that ab is. I can remember being a kid in CA that my dad and his friends would go grab a bunch that were 15-25 cm. We would then pound and pound them until they were tender, yum yum.

[Wellington]

Just looking at the image of that video above, I can't believe how tiny that ab is. I can remember being a kid in CA that my dad and his friends would go grab a bunch that were 15-25 cm. We would then pound and pound them until they were tender, yum yum.

HAs anyone else been to The Sireh Abalone Farm Restaurant?

It's certainly worth it for the view,

But the abalone we had were tough and tasteless; maybe it's the way they were cooked.

Shall go again to try something else but not those snails again!

I must admit we thought we were going to get something as delicious as 'coquille' or even clams or oysters which we love .

Were surprised and disappointed.

[starkey_rich]

Paua fritters and chips.A real delicacy in N.Z.

Always come' in handy when you want to have a game Frisbee or you have lost a flip flop.

Worst thing I have eaten.

Abalone is a delicacy when it is properly cooked but is easily over cooked and turned to rubber

[Wellington]

Paua fritters and chips.A real delicacy in N.Z.

Always come' in handy when you want to have a game Frisbee or you have lost a flip flop.

Worst thing I have eaten.

Abalone is a delicacy when it is properly cooked but is easily over cooked and turned to rubber

Maybe we had the rubber variety.

[petercallen]

Thought we'd renew acquaintance with Koh Sireh today, not been there for a couple of years, to see how the new Hotelis progressing and it's enormous, takes up most of a hill .

and sample some Abalone at The Abalone Farm Restaurant.

Well if you are one who likes sea snails , go there .

The view and setting is sensational.

But the Restaurant was almost empty .

We had to try the abalone of course.

Had a portion with garlic and a portion with black pepper, two plates contained nine tiny abalone and a lot of onion and garlic. six hundred bht.

The menu was very comprehensive and I'm sure excellent for other fish but six hundred for nine little molluscs?

Any body else been there?

AS a kid in west aussie i went down to the beach at low tide and levered them of with a screwdriver, they were on average 4 to 5 inches across, we called them mutton fish because you had to put them on a block of wood and beat them with a beer bottle before you cooked them, you could collect them any time you wanted to, now its restricted to 2 weeks a year and you have to have a license.

[WorldwideALOHA]

<deleted> HO AH YUNG Abalone Restaurant in Macau at the Rio Hotel

Definately worth a stop! Awesome Abalone!!! The prices make the Abalone Farm on Phuket look bargain basement - one single stewed abalone (sm-med) is about 3,500 baht!!!

Prices go up from there - large abalone are hundreds of dollars each.

Amazing taste and texture though. The Chinese style of cooking them is totally different from here. They buy them dried and then reconstitute them in a secret broth for 1 week while being attended to 24 hours a day by a team of chefs.

I liked the Abalone Farm in Phuket. Never had any rubbery ones as described above. The sizes are very small, but the prices compared to other places I have had abalone are very reasonable.

Aloha

[Zpete]

2 videos from NBT TV about Phuket Abalone Farm last year:

Exotic Proteins

The geoduck (pronounced /ˈɡuː.iːdʌk/ "gooey duck"[1]), Panopea abrupta, is a species of very large saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Hiatellidae. Alternate spellings include gweduc, gweduck and goiduck. It is sometimes known as the king clam, or when translated literally from the Chinese characters 象拔蚌, the elephant trunk clam.

The geoduck's high market value has created an $80 million U.S. industry, with harvesting occurring in both Washington state and the province of British Columbia. It is one of the most closely regulated fisheries in both countries; in Washington, Department of Natural Resources staff are on the water continually monitoring harvests in order to assure revenues are received, and the same is true in Canada where the Underwater Harvesters' Association manages the Canadian Fishery in conjunction with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Washington State Department of Health tests water and flesh in order to assure clams are not filtering and holding pollutants ..

In New Zealand, having an abalone, paua that size in your possession and caught, will get you a fine or date in court, lose ya boat and car if you have a heap of them.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Zpete

[islandguy]

The West Coast of North America used to be so full of abalone that gathering them in the tide pools was still possible in Southern California well into the last century. The North American varieties harvested (called, I think, blue, green, and red) are all considerably bigger than the Asian ones I have seen, and all have light colored flesh. Northern California (and, probably Oregon and Washington) have a strictly regulated sports fishery which does not allow scuba gear. Free diving for them in these waters is quite difficult and dangerous, people die every year. You have to dive down and locate the mollusk in the dark, cold, and kelp filled waters while dealing with waves and currents. Then you have to slide in your 'ab iron' and pop the off before they really grab on tight. Why bother? Properly prepared it is one of the most delicious foods I have ever eaten. I could compare the flavor to a very concentrated scallop with the richness of macadamia nuts. 30 years ago the market price for legal abalone in the local areas it was harvested was about US$120/kilo. The Asian ones I have had are tasty, but don't really compare. In Hawaii they are aquaculturing these same kind using cold deep ocean waters, finding a ready market in Asia and locally for younger ones about 200g prepared weight.

[migrant]

Have not tried the restaurant the OP mentioned, but abalone is like squid and octopus in cooking, too little, it's tough as leather, too much, same results!

I caught many abalone off of California here up until about 5 years ago when I stopped diving so much.

Prices here in the states is as dear as anything out there.

My ex wife was Korean and they would pound some, and we would have some as sushi.

Sounds like the cooking wasn't done correct!

[Wellington]

Have not tried the restaurant the OP mentioned, but abalone is like squid and octopus in cooking, too little, it's tough as leather, too much, same results!

I caught many abalone off of California here up until about 5 years ago when I stopped diving so much.

Prices here in the states is as dear as anything out there.

My ex wife was Korean and they would pound some, and we would have some as sushi.

Sounds like the cooking wasn't done correct!

Perhaps the enthusiasm has gone as I heard the establishment is for sale

No doubt we will see another 5 star Hotel there soon

Edited August 19, 2009 by Wellington

[dvdcm]

"Properly prepared it is one of the most delicious foods I have ever eaten."

Absolutely. I'm not even necessarily a fan of seafood. The last time I had it was about 10 years ago in San Francisco. As I recall, the price for a half-portion at that time was north of USD 50.00.

[Amir]

Thought we'd renew acquaintance with Koh Sireh today, not been there for a couple of years, to see how the new Hotelis progressing and it's enormous, takes up most of a hill .

and sample some Abalone at The Abalone Farm Restaurant.

Well if you are one who likes sea snails , go there .

The view and setting is sensational.

But the Restaurant was almost empty .

We had to try the abalone of course.

Had a portion with garlic and a portion with black pepper, two plates contained nine tiny abalone and a lot of onion and garlic. six hundred bht.

The menu was very comprehensive and I'm sure excellent for other fish but six hundred for nine little molluscs?

Any body else been there?

Tropical abalone is not as good as cold water abalone as those from the atlantic (france for instance) and New Zealand for example. Any aquatic cold water species are much firmer then tropical species, what doesn't mean that abalones in Asia are not good. In france you get a kg abalones for 90 Euros (about 4,500 THB) in the market so 600 THB for abalones in Phuket is acceptable.

I am in the Aquaculture industry and heard that there is an abalone farm in Phuket. Someone knows where?

[Wellington]

Tropical abalone is not as good as cold water abalone as those from the atlantic (france for instance) and New Zealand for example. Any aquatic cold water species are much firmer then tropical species, what doesn't mean that abalones in Asia are not good. In france you get a kg abalones for 90 Euros (about 4,500 THB) in the market so 600 THB for abalones in Phuket is acceptable.

I am in the Aquaculture industry and heard that there is an abalone farm in Phuket. Someone knows where?

Koh Sireh and follow the signs