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Sea urchins are marine invertebrates with about 800 species in existence around the world. A sea urchin skeleton (called the "test") is made of hard plates that surround the body and form a rounded shape, like a flattened ball. Sea urchins are covered in spines that both provide defense and help them move. In some species the spines are poisonous. Urchins usually live on the sea floor or in tide pools, where they eat algae, seaweed, tiny organisms, and organic material sifted out of sediment. Being so small, there's not much meat on a sea urchin. The creature's eggs (called "roe") and reproductive organs are most commonly eaten. Sea urchin roe is a delicacy in Japan, often served in sushi dishes -- just
look for "uni" on the menu. According to Japan-Guide.com, uni has a strong flavor that is "at the same time loved by many and disliked by almost as many." Food Resource lists a variety of ways that sea urchin is cooked and eaten around the world. When cooked, the meat (i.e. the "coral") tastes rather like crayfish. The roe tastes similar to an under-ripe peach or a papaya and "a little lemon or lime enhances the flavor." Food Trader describes the consistency and smell of sea urchin as salty and gives a complete listing of the food's nutritional value. Sea urchin
has 126 calories per 100 edible grams. If sushi's not your thing, try oyster and sea urchin stew or sea urchins with linguine.
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