The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Conch

Conch could be a common name applied to variety of various medium to large-sized shells. The term typically applies to giant snails whose shell includes a high steeple and a plain siphoned canal (in different words, the shell involves a plain purpose at each ends).

In North America, a gastropod is usually known as a queen gastropod, endemic to the waters of the Bahamas. Queen conch’s are valued for food, and also aroused as fish bait.

Queen gastropod is soft bodied animal having external and spiral formed shell with interior shiny pink or orange. They board sand, reef and seaweed bed. Generally, it’s found in heat and shallow water not deeper than seventy feet (21 meters) throughout Gulf of Mexico and sea locomote as way north as island and as way south as Brazil. It reaches full size in 3-5 years old-time and grows to most length of twelve inches long deliberation five pounds. It’s an extended lived species reaching twenty to thirty years previous. The calculable period of time is concerning forty years.

The Dietary Cholesterol Found In Shellfish Is Healthy

Shellfish even have a coffee concentration of saturated fat. A number of the shellfish have moderate or high dietary cholesterol. Studies have shown that dietary cholesterol is healthier than saturated fat, because it doesn’t raise the blood cholesterol levels the maximum amount because the saturated fats. Several shellfish together with lobster, mussels, crabs, and scallops have lower dietary cholesterol in levels compared to the amount in beef and chicken.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Shellfish

One important reason why shellfish is healthy for you is that it’s kind of like alternative sea-foods. Shellfish as well as oysters, crabs, and mussels square measure a supply of the essential omega-3 fatty acid (DHA), and omega-3 fatty acid (EPA) fatty acids. Fatty acids facilitate in brain development. They’re conjointly vital, as they scale blackbody inflammation. They need conjointly been aforesaid to strengthen our system, and do away with depression further as forestall sure sorts of cancers.

How Shellfish Prevents Heart Disease

The fatty acids in shellfish create the guts healthy. This concept is predicated on observations that folks living in Arctic Greenland, and alternative marine cultures wherever fish and alternative sea-foods are normally consumed, seem to own low rates of deaths ensuing from cardiopathy. These observations have crystal rectifier to several studies being conducted that have provided proof that so consumption of fish and alternative sea-foods that have fatty acids cut back inflammation, even in patients showing early signs of cardiopathy. The fatty acids additionally cut back the chance of development of abnormal heartbeat and also the development of high levels of fat within the blood.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Shellfish?

If you’re expectant, shellfish are often a supply of nutrients you wish for you and your baby. However, make sure that you eat it au gratin and not raw. Avoid raw shellfish because it will cause malady which might be fatal throughout physiological condition. Eat totally au gratin shellfish to kill harmful microorganism or viruses. Guarantee to additionally purchase or fish shellfish from regulated and tested waters. If you’re a fan of food, eat shellfish carefully throughout physiological condition to avoid the intake of an excessive amount of sodium.

Conch can be eaten at any time of day. It goes well with every food.

Additional Nutrients

 Conch provides a bunch of different vitamins and minerals. A 3-ounce serving of univalve contains ninety micrograms of folacin that is concerning twenty three % of the four hundred micrograms you would like daily. Folacin will facilitate forestall bound birth defects. Constant portion of univalve provides three.24 milligrams of E. that is 22% of the fifteen milligrams you would like on an each day. E protects you from cell harm which will contribute to cardiopathy and cancer. Univalve additionally provides little amounts of iron, metallic element and B complex.

Uses of conch

• In Chinese herbalism, the univalve shell is employed for treating biological time.
• In Ayurvedic drugs, it’s better-known for organic process and antacid properties.
• Blowing univalve shell often helps to correct the speech of unarticulated kids.
• It is additionally believed that processing univalve shell often clears blockages in the heart and additionally improves the system.
• Store water in univalve long and within the morning use this water to massage skin. It cures skin issues like allergies, rashes, white spot and skin diseases.
• Store water long in univalve and add rosewater thereto within the morning. Wash hair victimization this mixture. It helps to revive the natural color of hair inside a few days.
• Drink a pair of spoons of water hold on in univalve long for treating the symptom, abdomen pain, and laceration in intestines.
• Gently rub with univalve before sleep for 5 minutes per day to cure dark circles.
• Blowing conch is useful for bladder, tract diaphragm, lower abdomen, and neck and chest muscles.
• It additionally exercises thyroid glands and vocal cords.

Ways to eat conch    

• Conch meat is consumed minced, marinated, raw and copped in numerous dishes like soup, salads, soups, fritters, pates, stew, and native recipes.
• It may well be supplemental to burgers and gumbos.
• In Jamaica, it’s supplemental to stews, soups, and curries.
• In Grenada, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, it’s consumed in spicy soup and curries.
• In Puerto Rico, gastropod is marinated in juice, vinegar, olive oil, onions, inexperienced peppers and garlic.
• Use it to fill empanadas.
• Delicately deep-fried meat is employed in chowder.

How to buy and store conch

Store conch in the refrigerator.

Season in which conch is available

Conch is available all year round

How to make curried Conch Meat

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 lbs conch meat
• 1/4 tbsp sea salt
• 2 medium onions (diced)
• 4 heads garlic (diced)
• 2 tbsp pimento seed (whole)
• 1 tbsp parsley (dried)
• 3 stalks scallion (diced)
• 2 ripe scotch bonnet peppers (cut in half)
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2-3″ piece of ginger
• ¼ cup coconut oil (or other oil)
• 2 to 3 tbsp. curry powder
• 2 tbsp white vinegar or lime juice
• 4 to 6 cups of water
• 1/4 lb chocho, optional (peeled and diced)
• 1/4 lb carrot, optional (peeled and diced)
• 1/4 lb Irish potato, optional (peeled and diced)
• 1/4 lb okra, optional (peeled and diced)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Break the bottom of the conch shell and remove the conch. Remove the outer skin.
2. Tenderize conch meat by pressure cooking for 45 minutes, or boiling in water for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours over medium-high heat. Test with a fork.
3. Chop tenderized conch into bite-size chunks. Cover and set aside.
4. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the curry powder along with one diced garlic clove and stir constantly for about 10 seconds.
5. Immediately add the oil, then the diced onions, and continue to stir for 10 more seconds.
6. Add the diced scallion, then the rest of the diced garlic. Stir-fry for about 20 seconds.
7. Stir in the conch, then add all the remaining ingredients (water last). Cover and allow simmering for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
8. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, covered, for 10 more minutes.
9. Serve as is, or alongside rice and mixed vegetables.

How to make conch curry

Ingredients

1 lb conch (cleaned and cut into pieces)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning

1/2 medium onion

2 tablespoon veg oil

5 cloves garlic

1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (adjust to your liking)

3 cups water (boiling)

2 scallions

1 tomato

Method

Wash and season the conch (cut into 1-inch pieces) with the salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, Scotch Bonnet and a bit of grated ginger (optional – not mentioned in the ingredient list).  Give it a good mix and allow it to marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep saucepan (one with a lid) and go in with the diced garlic and onion – turn the heat to as low as it would go and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the curry powder (heat still on low). This step we’re toasting the curry powder to release the flavors of all the spices which make up the curry powder. Cook for about 4 minutes, so you won’t get a raw curry taste when the dish is done the cooking. It will go grainy, them clump and go darker and your house will have that lovely aroma of curry! Add a bit more veg oil if you find it’s starting to burn.

It’s now time to raise the heat to high and go in with the seasoned conch and stir well. Place the lid on the pan and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, stir well and let it go for about 10 minutes. It will spring its own natural juices.

Now it’s time to really infuse the conch pieces with the curry, so turn up the heat to high and cook off all that natural juice which you see in the pan (lid off). It may take about 3-5 minutes. Go until you see the oil at the bottom of the pan, then go in with the boiling water and bring back to a boil. It’s important to use boiling water or again the conch will go tough.

Once it comes to a boil (we need patience now) reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, have the lid slightly ajar and let that go for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Remember to stir every 10 minutes or so.

After you’ve achieved the sort of tenderness you like, taste for salt, and then turn up the heat to thicken the gravy. In most cases, you’d find that traditionally curry conch is cooked dry (no gravy). The last 5 minutes of cooking is when you’d go in with the chopped tomato and scallions to give the dish a bit of color. You can even add a bit of chopped shado Beni or cilantro if you like.

Important: In the Caribbean, we wash all meats and seafood with lime or lemon juice before seasoning/cooking, but in this case DO NOT does so. Instead, rub with a bit of plain flour and water, drain and rinse. The acid from the lime or lemon juice will cause the conch meat to go really tough and no matter how much you cook it, it will not go tender. Also, if doing this recipe according to a gluten-free diet, pay attention to the curry powder you use as some manufacturers add flour to the mix and it will not meet your gluten-free dietary needs.

Safety profile for using conch

• People who are allergic to seafood should take advice from their doctor before consuming it.

Conch Fun Facts       

• Sometimes shells are used as decoration such as in cameo making or as decorative planters.
• In Classic Maya art, conchs are used as ink and paint holders, trumpets, bugles, and hand weapons.
• In various cultures, Conch shells are used as shell money.
• In African-American and Afro-Caribbean cemeteries, shells of conch are placed on graves.
• Occasionally, conchs shells are used as building material wither as a bulk for landfill or in place of bricks.
• In Tamil Nadu, conch is blown to ward off evil spirits during funerals.

• The “queen” conch is a large edible sea snail, a type of marine mollusk.
• Conchs are native to the coasts of the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.
• Conchs are herbivores – they eat algae and other tiny marine plants.
• The conch’s main predators include loggerhead turtles, nurse sharks, other snail species, blue crabs, eagle rays, spiny lobsters, and other crustaceans.
• Male and female conchs copulate to reproduce. Mating aggregations can have hundreds or even thousands of individuals.
• Female conchs lay hundreds of thousands of tiny eggs in a sandy egg mass. The larvae emerge after 5 days and may drift on ocean currents for up to a month before settling in suitable habitat on the sea floor.
• During the first year of life, conchs live under the sand during the day and come out to feed on the surface of the sand at night.
• It may take a queen conch at least 5 years to reach maturity. At this stage in life, they have a very hard flared lip and can reproduce.
• The queen conch lives an average of 7 years, but is known to live as long as 20 – 30 years.
• Conchs produce natural pearls that come in a range of hues, including white, brown, orange and pink.
• As conchs age, their shell becomes thicker.
• Conch is listed under Appendix II in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which includes species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction but may become so if the trade is not tightly controlled.
• It is illegal to take queen conchs in the state of Florida. Commercial and recreational fishing was banned in the 1980s after conch populations became severely overfished.
• 80% of the legal internationally traded conch is consumed in the United States. The smuggling of conch meat into the U.S. is a significant challenge to conch management in The Bahamas.
• Queen conch are vulnerable to overfishing because they are relatively slow to grow, late to mature, aggregate to mate, and are easily harvested in shallow waters.