Introduction: Many people know which fruits and vegetables are in season, but few are clear on the best times to get various types of seafood. In fact, eating seafood also follows seasonal rules. For example, hairtail is at its best in the spring, and penaeid shrimp are tastier in the autumn. The "Life Times" has specially invited Chen Shunsheng, Director of the Department of Aquatic Product Processing and Storage Engineering at the College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, to teach you how to eat fresh, nutritious, and delicious seafood all year round.
Spring: March-May
Hairtail is abundant in spring
Hairtail along China's coast can be divided into northern and southern types. Both appear in large numbers in spring, making it an excellent opportunity for fishing and contributing to a season of high annual output. In the autumn, northern hairtail will have a second fishing season, while the south will have to wait until winter.
[Nutrition] Hairtail is highly nutritious, containing 17.7 grams of protein, 4.9 grams of fat, and 29 micrograms of vitamin A per 100 grams. Hairtail is "affordable," making it a very cost-effective sea fish.
[Cooking] Hairtail is generally steamed, braised in soy sauce, or pan-fried. Steaming is light and low in oil, making it a healthier option. The method is: wash and cut the hairtail, place it on a plate with a little salt, and steam until cooked. Afterward, add shredded ginger and green onions.
Butterfish are most seasonal in late spring and early summer
In the East China Sea, butterfish can be caught year-round. However, the best time is during the spring-summer transition when the fish schools migrate to spawn.
[Nutrition] Butterfish have little bone and much meat. Per 100 grams, they contain 18.5 grams of protein and 7.3 grams of fat, most of which is unsaturated. They are also rich in potassium, with 328 milligrams per 100 grams, which helps lower blood pressure.
[Cooking] Common ways to cook butterfish are steaming, pan-frying, and braising, but it can also be used in congee to benefit the stomach and spleen. The method is: place the butterfish in a clay pot to cook, then remove, debone, and shred it. Cook it again with japonica rice, ginger, green onions, and salt. First, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat to make congee.
Spicy Braised Hairtail
Summer: June-August
Sea urchin roe is best in June and July
June and July are the peak reproductive season for sea urchins. When you crack open a sea urchin shell at this time, you will see a small yellow mass, which is the sea urchin roe. This is the gonad of the sea urchin and its most precious part.
[Nutrition] Sea urchin roe is rich in protein, lecithin, riboflavin, and more. Lecithin is an important component of high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol) in the blood, which helps regulate blood lipids and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
[Cooking] In coastal areas, steamed egg with sea urchin roe is widely loved. The method is: beat eggs and add an appropriate amount of warm water. Steam in a steamer until about 60-70% cooked, then cover the surface with sea urchin roe and steam for another 5 minutes over high heat until the roe changes color and firms up.
Abalone is plump and delicious in July and August
Abalone is a very slow-growing, single-shelled mollusk. Every July and August, as the water temperature rises, abalone move to shallow waters to reproduce. At this time, their meat is plump and delicious, making it the best season for harvesting.
[Nutrition] Abalone is rich in minerals, containing 266 milligrams of calcium and 22.6 milligrams of iron per 100 grams, making it a good food for dietary supplementation of calcium and iron. Additionally, abalone has a very high sodium content, with 2011.7 milligrams per 100 grams, making it unsuitable for patients with hypertension, etc.
[Cooking] Wash and slice the abalone, place it in a pot with an appropriate amount of chicken broth and water and bring to a boil. Add green onions, ginger, cooking wine, and bamboo shoot slices, then simmer over low heat until thoroughly cooked. Finally, add a little salt before eating to invigorate the spleen and nourish the stomach.
Sea Urchin Steamed Egg
Autumn: September-November
Chinese penaeid shrimp are tastiest in September and October
The Chinese penaeid shrimp have two major fishing seasons each year: one in the spring (April-May) in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and another in the autumn (September-October) in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. However, in terms of yield and taste, the autumn shrimp have a higher yield and better texture.
[Nutrition] Chinese penaeid shrimp are not only delicious but also a typical high-protein, low-fat nutritional treasure. Per 100 grams, they are rich in 18.3 grams of protein and only 0.5 grams of fat. Furthermore, they are also impressive in their content of carotene, vitamin E, and magnesium.
[Cooking] To better preserve the high-quality protein and other nutrients of the shrimp, it is best to use simple, low-temperature cooking methods like steaming, boiling, or blanching. The simplest method is "white-boiled" shrimp: first, wash the shrimp. When the water in the pot boils, add the shrimp and a little cooking wine, and cook for a short while. After cooking, they can be dipped in a garlic-ginger seasoning sauce.
Crab meat is plump and rich with roe during the Mid-Autumn Festival
Every year around the Mid-Autumn Festival in the lunar calendar, swimming crabs begin to accumulate fat (roe) to prepare for winter. Crabs caught at this time have plump meat and rich roe.
[Nutrition] Swimming crabs are rich in protein, with as much as 15.9 grams per 100 grams. Additionally, per 100 grams, they contain 280 milligrams of calcium, 90.96 micrograms of selenium, and 121 micrograms of vitamin A. Selenium is a mineral essential to the human body that can resist free radicals, boost immunity, and help prevent tumors. Vitamin A is closely related to vision and can treat night blindness and xerophthalmia.
[Cooking] Steaming crabs preserves their flavor to the greatest extent. When eating crab, it is best to pair it with ginger juice, yellow wine, and vinegar to warm the middle burner and dispel cold, and to aid digestion. They should also be eaten while hot; when cold, they not only taste fishy but can also be hard on the stomach, potentially causing indigestion. Therefore, one should not eat too much crab. Generally, a person should not consume more than 1 jin (500g) of crab at a time and no more than three times a week.
Lotus Leaf Flavor Original Dazha Crab
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Winter: December-February of the following year
Oysters are most delicious from the Winter Solstice to the following Qingming Festival
Oysters, commonly known as haozi, are their most delicious from the Winter Solstice to the following Qingming Festival. From May to August, they are busy reproducing, and their meat is not as good.
[Nutrition] Oysters are known as "milk from the sea." Per 100 grams, they contain 65 milligrams of magnesium, 86.64 micrograms of selenium, and 9.39 milligrams of zinc. Zinc is crucial for maintaining taste and protecting the immune system, and oysters are one of the foods highest in zinc. Additionally, oysters are rich in nucleic acids, which can delay skin aging, reduce wrinkles, and resist aging.
[Cooking] Oyster congee can help relieve physical weakness. The method is: first, decoct 20 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus and half a strip of kelp in water, then remove the medicinal dregs. Add 200 grams of oyster meat and bring to a boil, then add an appropriate amount of rice and mix to cook into congee. Season with sesame oil, salt, mushrooms, celery, and chopped green onions. This can nourish the body and relieve physical weakness.
Oyster Tofu Hot Pot
Sea urchin stew
Herbal Krabs
Fruit Tray