Introduction to Common Freshwater Snail Species and Their Prices
Snails, this flavorful food, are truly favored by Chinese people, especially in summer, when paired with a little beer. Just like the French love snails, although both drag heavy shells, the status of the two foods in China and France is completely different. The French treat snails as a grand meal, while Chinese people treat snails as a delicious home-style dish. The joy of eating snails lies in that gentle suck, drawing the snail meat and broth into your mouth together, bursting into a magical sensation across the taste buds. The snails we commonly eat are freshwater snails, so what species of freshwater snails are there? What are the differences? What about the prices?
1. River snail
River snails are distributed across most regions of the country and can be caught in summer and autumn. Common river snails in freshwater include the Chinese round river snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis), among others. River snails are edible, and the edible part is mainly their muscular foot. River snails are ovoviviparous animals; sometimes the "sand" we taste in river snails is actually baby river snails, which carry more bacteria. When cooking river snails, you need to use live ones, as dead river snails carry even more bacteria. River snails are also not easy to flavor during cooking. You need to master the heat and stir-frying.
Currently on the market, the price of small river snails is generally 2.5 yuan-6 yuan/jin; the price of wild river snails is generally 3 yuan-7 yuan/jin; the price of Chinese round river snails is generally 3 yuan-6 yuan/jin.
2. Stone snail
Stone snails are smaller than river snails and look not much different from them. They mostly attach to stones and other hard objects in water, and because their shells are hard, they are called stone snails. They like to live in sunny and clear streams, generally growing in ponds, rivers and other places, and can be found in all four seasons. They mainly feed on algae, moss and other aquatic plants, and have amphibious abilities.
Stone snails are a nutritious flavorful food, with a crisp texture and a fresh, sweet taste. They contain nutrients such as protein and have the effects of strengthening the stomach and promoting appetite. Small ones can be boiled into a clear, sweet soup, while those the size of a thumb can be stir-fried. The usual way to eat them is to savor the original flavor, using fresh stir-frying. Currently on the market, the price of golden apple snails is generally 2 yuan-5 yuan/jin.
3. Green snail
The green snail is a traditional famous Han Chinese dish of Kaihua County, Zhejiang Province, also called clear-water snail. It differs from ordinary snails, with a black, slender shell and gray-green fresh meat inside. It grows in living water such as streams in the Kaihua area at the source of the Qiantang River. Because it has little mud and is clean, it is also called clear-water snail by the locals. The green snail of Kaihua is one of China's traditional aquatic products. Because its meat is tender and delicious, its flavor is unique, and it is rich in nutrients, it has long enjoyed the reputation of "pearl on the plate" in China.
Green snails have very high requirements for water quality. They can be simply stir-fried, braised with sauce, or simmered with scallion oil, among other methods. The specialty of the Kaihua area is to season them with perilla. Perilla not only removes the muddy fishiness but also neutralizes the cold nature of the snails. Currently on the market, the price of green snails is generally 5 yuan-8 yuan/jin.
4. Golden apple snail
The golden apple snail is also called the apple snail. It is native to South America and is an invasive alien species in China, belonging to the family Ampullariidae. Its large "rump" and the deep round umbilical opening above the shell mouth are what make it distinctive. The golden apple snail is an egg-laying animal, often laying pink eggs on walls and tree branches above the water surface.
It has the characteristics of large size, broad feeding habits, strong adaptability, rapid growth and reproduction, and high yield. Its meat is edible, but the taste is not good. After eating raw or incompletely heated golden apple snails, parasites such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis may cause infection in the human body, resulting in symptoms such as headache, fever, and neck stiffness. In severe cases, it can cause dementia or even death. Therefore, when eating golden apple snails, be sure to heat them thoroughly; it is recommended not to eat them. Currently on the market, the price of golden apple snails is generally 1.5 yuan-3 yuan/jin.
The above is an introduction to the four common freshwater snails. Some unscrupulous merchants may pass off golden apple snails as river snails. They can be distinguished as follows. The shell color of the golden apple snail is yellow, while the shell color of the river snail is greenish-brown. The tail of the golden apple snail's spire is flat and short, while the tail of the river snail's spire is long and pointed. The operculum of the golden apple snail is somewhat flat, while the operculum of the river snail is relatively round in shape. The meat of the golden apple snail is lighter in color, mostly yellowish-white, while the meat of the river snail is mostly greenish-brown.
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