Can you eat an isopod? (3 Tips)
In this brief guide, we will answer the question, can you eat an isopod? We will discuss the anatomy of an isopod and some ways people prefer to enjoy eating isopods.
Can you eat an isopod?
You can eat an isopod. Isopods taste like lobsters and crabs. Isopods are served as armored fried isopods, sushi, and rice. Isopods are also sold as crackers.
Senbei rice crackers
Senbei rice crackers are from Japan, where they have gained massive popularity. The crispy treats are being sold at outlets all over Japan. IT started as an American celebrity tried to roast it, then a fried isopod contest took place and, the rest is history.
Ever since Senbei rice crackers are being produced by a company that sold prawn crackers. The crackers have a slightly pungent taste and need seasoning to get the right taste and flavor.
What are isopods?
The Latin name for isopods is Bathynomus Doederleini and, they are found deep within the oceans. The isopods are crustaceans and have a giant exoskeleton. Isopods are related to the pill bug that has the scientific name Armadillidium Vulgare.
The isopods are found in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, where they burrow themselves in mud or clay for shelter. Isopods usually make it to 14.3 inches in length, while some may grow up to an unexpectedly enormous size of 2.5 feet long.
They are unique and beautiful and have overlapping segments with color, a cross between lilac and brown. Isopods are scavengers; they eat what they can find on hand that includes dead creatures. However, they are mainly carnivores and eat slow-moving creatures; such as sponges.
Isopods are picky eaters and can go without food for years. A giant isopod was reported to be dead after starving for five years. Hence, since they can eat everything doesn’t mean that they will. Usually, isopods prefer Mackerel; however, if the isopod does not feel like eating, they will not, for as long as they like.
There are over 100000 varieties of isopods, of which Giant Isopod is the well-spoken culinary menu.
How is the isopod cooked?
Method 1
A chef demonstrated cooking isopods as a fried rice dish. The live isopods are slow-moving creatures. To kill it, he slit a hole in the neck or the first segment of the isopod. As the giant isopod bled, he put it in ice-cold water.
The blood was purple and watery and resembled strikingly the color of the isopod’s coat. Then the chef pressed the isopod to eliminate as much of the blood as possible.
Then he placed the isopod on its back to cut it open. He started by cutting the thick flaps at the bottom. Then sliced the isopod into two. The isopods are symmetric and uniform. He placed the knife vertically and ran it across the center of the stomach.
You need to press hard on it to make through the hard shell and expose the flesh within. After slicing the isopod into two uniform parts, it was washed in running water. Isopods need a good rinse and, cutting gives off a bad odor.
The isopod can be steam cooked and, the flesh is removed. After the whole isopods are cooked, the meat softens. The meat becomes flaky, tender, and white, and scooped from the shell. The meat separates from the water within by pressing against the meat using a towel.
The isopod is served alongside the fried side. The fried rice by the chef was cooked with eggs, capsicum, tomatoes, and onions, after which the steamed isopod meat was added at the end. The ingredients were cooked with boiled rice until the fried rice was ready.
Method 2
The meat from the shell is removed by a different method that can be used any way you like, such as to make sushi rolls.
To make the volcano sushi rolls, isopod was cut and prepared differently. The flap in the bottom center of the isopod was removed to expose the insides.
The insides were scooped out, including the eggs, intestines, and gut. Once dissected and removed, all the parts including, the flap, the organs, were assembled back inside the shell; then steamed. The legs are also steamed that have plenty of meat within.
After steaming the isopod, separate the meat once again. You can use a fork or chopstick to scoop out the meat set within the segments. The meat can be hard to remove from the segments and; make sure to get every bit of it.
The legs are squished under a rolling pin to remove the shell and isolate the meat without doing much work.
In this brief guide, we answered the question, can you eat an isopod? We discussed the anatomy of an isopod and some ways people prefer to enjoy eating isopods.
