Delicious Stir-Fried Snails with Aromatic Herbs for a Flavorful Change in Meals

How to prepare Stir-fried Snails with Leafy Vegetables

• 1

  Cleaning and Marinating Snails

  Buy the snail meat and wash it thoroughly before cooking. If you buy frozen packaged snails, wait for them to defrost.

  How to clean snails and reduce the fishy smell: Soak them in rice water for 30 minutes to remove the slime, then rinse them clean; this way, the snails will lose their inherent fishy smell.

  If you are using live snails, you can clean them in the following way to remove dirt and reduce the fishy odor:

  • Before cleaning the snails, soak them in rice water for about 1 – 2 hours to let them expel all the dirt while also eliminating the fishy smell. If you see snails floating, discard them.
  • If you do not have rice water, you can use a metal bowl to soak the snails or soak them in water with a few slices of chili added.
  • Use a knife to cut off the part where the snails are buried, then pry open the snail’s mouth and soak it in diluted lime water for 15 minutes, then scoop the snail meat out and remove the black intestines and feces.
  • Rub the snail meat with salt and vinegar to reduce the slime, then rinse it clean, chop it finely, and add minced onion and garlic for marinating.

  Marinate the snail meat with 2 teaspoons of curry powder, 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of minced onion, 1 tablespoon of seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass. Mix well and let the snails sit for about 20 minutes to absorb the spices evenly.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the remaining ingredients

  Mint bought should be cleaned and cut into thin slices for easy eating.

  How to properly prepare mint to avoid itching:

  • Wash the mint thoroughly to remove all dirt. Peel off the outer fibrous part. Then use a knife to cut off all the curved parts inside the mint.
  • Then cut the mint diagonally into bite-sized pieces.
  • Soak the mint in saltwater twice with a strong salt solution for about 15 minutes, then rinse several times with cold water.
  • After that, take it out, wash it again, and squeeze out excess water from the mint, which will help reduce itching when eating.

  Seaweed should be soaked in cold water to expand, then cut into pieces about 2 finger joints long.

  Wood ear mushrooms should be soaked in cold water to expand, cut off the mushroom stems, and then cut into strips.

  How to properly soak wood ear mushrooms:

  • Soak wood ear mushrooms in cold water for about 2 – 3 hours, do not soak for too long as the toxic morpholine will be released more during soaking.
  • Absolutely do not soak in hot water as hot water will stimulate the production of toxins in wood ear mushrooms.
  • After soaking, just rinse the mushrooms with clean water.

  Wash the herb leaves clean, and cut them into moderate strips, not too small.

  Onions cut into wedges. Finger chili cut diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Lemongrass crushed and cut into pieces about 2 finger joints long. Green onions, coriander, and Vietnamese balm cut into bite-sized pieces. Only the green part of the green onions is used, without cutting too small.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Stir-fry snails

  Place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and wait for the oil to heat up. Then add the smashed lemongrass to sauté until fragrant. Next, add 1/2 tablespoon of minced lemongrass and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic.

  When a fragrant aroma is released, add the snails and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

  Tip: Do not stir-fry the snail meat for too long as it will shrink, become chewy, and lose its flavor.

  Next, add 1 cup of coconut milk.

  Then, add the peppermint, wood ear mushrooms, cut vermicelli, and onions in turn, stirring evenly.

  Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of seasoning, stir well. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

  Finally, add the green onions, lemongrass leaves, cilantro, coriander, and chili, stir well and then turn off the heat.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Final product

  Place the snails on a plate, sprinkle roasted peanuts and chili according to your preference.

  The snails are crispy and chewy, enhanced by the rich flavor of coconut milk combined with the aroma of lemongrass, making it an incredibly attractive dish for the weekend!