How to Clean Shell-Free Periwinkles (Isam)
How to Clean Shell-Free Periwinkles (Isam)
Periwinkles—called “isam” in Igbo, “isawuru” in Yoruba and “mfi” in Efik and Ibibio—are diminutive marine snails that flourish in muddy or brackish conditions. They’re prized for the chewy texture and unique flavor they bring to dishes, so you’ll often find them in popular Nigerian soups such as edikang ikong, afang, okazi, oha and Nsala. In addition to their culinary wonkiness, they have a robust culinary profile, providing protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Some Nigerians enjoy cooking periwinkles with their shells on, relishing the game of sucking the snails right out of their shells. Some like the shells gone for a cleaner, easier eat. No matter how you prepare them, the secret to periwinkle unsatisfaction is in how you clean them. This blog post will explain how to properly clean periwinkles that are in their shells, so you will have a safe and gratifying meal.
Table of Contents
Introduction: How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
The Importance of the Right Cleaning
Essential Tools and Ingredients on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
Step-by-Step on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
4.1. Trimming the Shells
4.2. Washing Away Dirt
4.3. The Salt-and-Shake Method
4.4. Parboiling the Periwinkles
4.5. Final Rinse
Using Dried Periwinkles
How to Cook Cleaned Periwinkles
Summary and Final Thoughts
Getting to Know Periwinkles and its Importance in Nigerian Cuisine
Periwinkle, which is known as “isam” in Igbo, “isawuru” in Yoruba and “mfi” in Efik/Ibibio, is a small marine snail, but it brings a unique flavor that can make for a tasty addition to many Nigerian soups. They can be served with their shells on or off—your choice. Those who save the shells have the fun of sucking the snail out, and shell-free recipes make for easy spoon-friendly bites. But, before you chuck periwinkles into your soup of choice, a thorough washing process is essential to wriggle out hidden dirt and detritus.
The Importance Of How to Clean Shell-Free Periwinkles (Isam)
Periwinkles—called “isam” in Igbo, “isawuru” in Yoruba and “mfi” in Efik and Ibibio—are diminutive marine snails that flourish in muddy or brackish conditions. They’re prized for the chewy texture and unique flavor they bring to dishes, so you’ll often find them in popular Nigerian soups such as edikang ikong, afang, okazi, oha and Nsala. In addition to their culinary wonkiness, they have a robust culinary profile, providing protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Some Nigerians enjoy cooking periwinkles with their shells on, relishing the game of sucking the snails right out of their shells. Some like the shells gone for a cleaner, easier eat. No matter how you prepare them, the secret to periwinkle unsatisfaction is in how you clean them. This blog post will explain how to properly clean periwinkles that are in their shells, so you will have a safe and gratifying meal.
Table of Contents
Introduction: How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
The Importance of the Right Cleaning
Essential Tools and Ingredients on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
Step-by-Step on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
4.1. Trimming the Shells
4.2. Washing Away Dirt
4.3. The Salt-and-Shake Method
4.4. Parboiling the Periwinkles on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
4.5. Final Rinse on How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
Using Dried Periwinkles
How to Cook Cleaned Periwinkles
Summary and Final Thoughts
Getting to Know Periwinkles and its Importance in Nigerian Cuisine
Periwinkle, which is known as “isam” in Igbo, “isawuru” in Yoruba and “mfi” in Efik/Ibibio, is a small marine snail, but it brings a unique flavor that can make for a tasty addition to many Nigerian soups. They can be served with their shells on or off—your choice. Those who save the shells have the fun of sucking the snail out, and shell-free recipes make for easy spoon-friendly bites. But, before you chuck periwinkles into your soup of choice, a thorough washing process is essential to wriggle out hidden dirt and detritus.
The Importance Of Thorough Cleaning
Periwinkles frequently arrive covered in mud or sand due to their muddy habitat. If you eat them tous de sans cleaning, you are risking getting dirt or bacteria into your food. And if you don’t clean them properly, you risk ruining the texture and flavor of your dish, gifting you unwelcome grittiness or a strange taste. Taking time out for a smart cleaning regimen can help keep your dinner safe and delicious.
The Tools and Ingredients You Will Need
So to clean your periwinkles properly, you will need:
Kitchen Shears or Knife: Trims off the tips of shell.
Large Bowl: For soaking, rinsing and the salt-and-shake method.
Salt: Helps pull out invisible dirt.
Pot: Needed for parboiling.
Fresh Water: Used in the washing and rinsing steps.
Having these items nearby makes it easier to clean and prevents steps from being missed.
Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide
4.1. Trimming the Shells
Examine each periwinkle: Look for mud or damage.
Cut the Top and Bottom Tips Off: Using kitchen shears or a small knife, trim the pointed ends of the shell. This is an essential step for those who will be cooking the periwinkles with the shell on — trimming the tips allows for easier access to the snail inside, and effective washing.
4.2. Washing Away Dirt
Soak in Water: Set the cleaned periwinkles in a big bowl of water.
Rinse (A LOT): Agitate stuff to dislodge and remove soil/sand on the surface.
Rinse: Change the water and rinse repeatedly until fairly clear.
This initial rinsing shakes loose any larger remnants, preparing them for scrub and scrub.
4.3. The Salt-and-Shake Method
Transfer to a Bowl With a Tight Lid: Once rinsed, transfer the periwinkles into the bowl where they will be sealed.
Salt and Water: Generously sprinkle salt and just enough water to moisten the shells.
Shake Vigorously: Put a lid on the bowl and shake it back and forth to loosen any dirt that remains lodged in the crevices of the shells.
Skim Off Gunk: Remove the periwinkles or pour off the cloudy water, leaving the snails in the bowl.
This technique is very good for removing grit that gets stuck inside the shell.
4.4. Parboiling the Periwinkles
Put in a Pot: Move the snails into a pot.
Add Salt and Water: Cover them with enough water and add a pinch of salt.
Typically foamy whitish impurities: Stay put, watch your pot; stuff will come off the tubers, and fluff on the surface as dirt resettles for that 2–3 Minutes Boil.
Remove Foam: Eliminate foam or obvious residue.
Parboiling also sanitizes the shells and improves the final texture of the periwinkles.
4.5. Final Rinse How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
Dump the Water: After boiling, pour away the water and foam.
Rinse Again: Perform a final rinse of the periwinkles in fresh water to wash away any remaining debris or salty residue.
Check: Look at your few shells, they should be cleaned and void of any dirt.
At this point, your periwinkles are clean and ready to be cooked.
Using Dried Periwinkles How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
For anyone outside Nigeria — or who can’t get fresh periwinkles — dried ones make an easy substitute. The process is simpler:
Soak and RehydratePlace the dried periwinkles in a bowl of warm water for 20–30 minutes.
Rinse Well: Remove any sand or silt while they soften.
Cook of Your Choice: Once rehydrated, they can be used in your various soups or stews like you would fresh periwinkles.
Though dried periwinkles don’t have the plump texture of fresh, they are still, for most Nigerian recipes, a workable substitute.
How to Cook Cleaned Periwinkles How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
Once your periwinkles are well cleaned, try them in:
Edikang Ikong — a vegetable-laden soup originally from Cross River State, praised for its nutritional density.
Afang Soup: A leafy green soup showcasing the flavors of waterleaf and afang leaves.
Okra Soup Okra’s slippery consistency is well-suited to periwinkles, making for a robust dish.
Oha Soup: The Oha hides its bitterness while periwinkles do the creamy work.
Nsala (White Soup)A light, peppery soup that becomes deeper with the addition of snails or fish.
Shell or no shell, periwinkles take up the flavor notch and the pleasure factor in any soup you make.
Summary and Final Thoughts
Cleaning periwinkles is a simple but essential process to make sure they are safe, flavorful and optionally texturally appealing. Trimming the shell tips; washing well; using a salt-and-shake technique; parboiling: All these steps rid the eggs of hidden grunge and pathogens. Dried periwinkles provide a taste of home for those seas away from Nigeria without the mess of fresh shells.
Once cleaned properly, periwinkles can be added to a variety of soups and stews, boosting both the soup’s nutrient quality and flavor. With this easy but powerful way to clean periwinkles, feel free to add periwinkles in your favorite Nigerian recipes. Savor the distinctive flavor and nutritional advantages of these small sea snails without the concerns of unnecessary sand and impurities.
Periwinkles frequently arrive covered in mud or sand due to their muddy habitat. If you eat them tous de sans cleaning, you are risking getting dirt or bacteria into your food. And if you don’t clean them properly, you risk ruining the texture and flavor of your dish, gifting you unwelcome grittiness or a strange taste. Taking time out for a smart cleaning regimen can help keep your dinner safe and delicious.
The Tools and Ingredients You Will Need
So to clean your periwinkles properly, you will need:
Kitchen Shears or Knife: Trims off the tips of shell.
Large Bowl: For soaking, rinsing and the salt-and-shake method.
Salt: Helps pull out invisible dirt.
Pot: Needed for parboiling.
Fresh Water: Used in the washing and rinsing steps.
Having these items nearby makes it easier to clean and prevents steps from being missed.
Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide
4.1. Trimming the Shells
Examine each periwinkle: Look for mud or damage.
Cut the Top and Bottom Tips Off: Using kitchen shears or a small knife, trim the pointed ends of the shell. This is an essential step for those who will be cooking the periwinkles with the shell on — trimming the tips allows for easier access to the snail inside, and effective washing.
4.2. Washing Away Dirt
Soak in Water: Set the cleaned periwinkles in a big bowl of water.
Rinse (A LOT): Agitate stuff to dislodge and remove soil/sand on the surface.
Rinse: Change the water and rinse repeatedly until fairly clear.
This initial rinsing shakes loose any larger remnants, preparing them for scrub and scrub.
4.3. The Salt-and-Shake Method
Transfer to a Bowl With a Tight Lid: Once rinsed, transfer the periwinkles into the bowl where they will be sealed.
Salt and Water: Generously sprinkle salt and just enough water to moisten the shells.
Shake Vigorously: Put a lid on the bowl and shake it back and forth to loosen any dirt that remains lodged in the crevices of the shells.
Skim Off Gunk: Remove the periwinkles or pour off the cloudy water, leaving the snails in the bowl.
This technique is very good for removing grit that gets stuck inside the shell.
4.4. Parboiling the Periwinkles
Put in a Pot: Move the snails into a pot.
Add Salt and Water: Cover them with enough water and add a pinch of salt.
Typically foamy whitish impurities: Stay put, watch your pot; stuff will come off the tubers, and fluff on the surface as dirt resettles for that 2–3 Minutes Boil.
Remove Foam: Eliminate foam or obvious residue.
Parboiling also sanitizes the shells and improves the final texture of the periwinkles.
4.5. Final Rinse
Dump the Water: After boiling, pour away the water and foam.
Rinse Again: Perform a final rinse of the periwinkles in fresh water to wash away any remaining debris or salty residue.
Check: Look at your few shells, they should be cleaned and void of any dirt.
At this point, your periwinkles are clean and ready to be cooked.
Using Dried Periwinkles How to clean shell-free periwinkles (Isam)
For anyone outside Nigeria — or who can’t get fresh periwinkles — dried ones make an easy substitute. The process is simpler:
Soak and RehydratePlace the dried periwinkles in a bowl of warm water for 20–30 minutes.
Rinse Well: Remove any sand or silt while they soften.
Cook of Your Choice: Once rehydrated, they can be used in your various soups or stews like you would fresh periwinkles.
Though dried periwinkles don’t have the plump texture of fresh, they are still, for most Nigerian recipes, a workable substitute.
How to Cook Cleaned Periwinkles
Once your periwinkles are well cleaned, try them in:
Edikang Ikong — a vegetable-laden soup originally from Cross River State, praised for its nutritional density.
Afang Soup: A leafy green soup showcasing the flavors of waterleaf and afang leaves.
Okra Soup Okra’s slippery consistency is well-suited to periwinkles, making for a robust dish.
Oha Soup: The Oha hides its bitterness while periwinkles do the creamy work.
Nsala (White Soup)A light, peppery soup that becomes deeper with the addition of snails or fish.
Shell or no shell, periwinkles take up the flavor notch and the pleasure factor in any soup you make.
Summary and Final Thoughts
Cleaning periwinkles is a simple but essential process to make sure they are safe, flavorful and optionally texturally appealing. Trimming the shell tips; washing well; using a salt-and-shake technique; parboiling: All these steps rid the eggs of hidden grunge and pathogens. Dried periwinkles provide a taste of home for those seas away from Nigeria without the mess of fresh shells.
Once cleaned properly, periwinkles can be added to a variety of soups and stews, boosting both the soup’s nutrient quality and flavor. With this easy but powerful way to clean periwinkles, feel free to add periwinkles in your favorite Nigerian recipes. Savor the distinctive flavor and nutritional advantages of these small sea snails without the concerns of unnecessary sand and impurities. click here to know more