The soft spikes or thorns differentiate this species from other sea cucumbers, the thorny sea cucumber growing to about 10cm, or 4 inches in length, and living in shallow waters on the sandy seabed.
Requiring a great deal of skill and patience both to harvest and to prepare in the kitchen, the sea cucumber is versatile in the hands of experienced Chinese chefs as it can be infused with the flavors of other ingredients and adds a glutinous quality to a dish.
Chef Kam sources the thorny sea cucumbers exclusively from their prime territory in the coastal province of Guangdong in Southeast China, bordering Hong Kong and Macao.
The à la carte menu lists a great variety of styles in which to enjoy this delicacy. Double-boiled, it is served with fresh fish maw soup in a clay pot. Steamed, it is stuffed with bird’s nest, or served with millet…
