Sea intestine (Urechis unicinctus), a marine spoon-worm prized along the Shandong coast for its crisp, briny snap. Cleaned to a translucent tube and flash-cooked over fierce heat so it stays springy, it was historically sun-dried and ground into a natural umami powder long before MSG.
Where it comes from
A delicacy of the Jiaodong peninsula (Yantai, Qingdao, Weihai) on China's Shandong coast.
In the kitchen
Flash stir-fried with garlic chives or leeks; also dried and ground as a natural umami seasoning.