Everything You Need to Know About Sea Urchin Uni

March 31, 2020

At Sea Urchin Harvest, we are one of Australia's leading suppliers of Fresh Sea Urchin. Our Sea Urchin is caught fresh and packaged for same day delivery. 

At Sea Urchin Harvest, we are sea urchin experts. Believe it or not, those spiny, round guys moving leisurely over the rocks and coral at the bottom of the ocean are actually a delicacy in many areas across the globe. Uni may be an acquired taste, but has many health benefits, and is even considered an aphrodisiac. We’re taking a glimpse at what makes the hedgehog of the sea so unique and sought after.

Sea urchins can be found in oceans all over the world, but are difficult to harvest, and the little portions of edible meat inside are extremely delicate. Though typically called sea urchin roe, uni is actually the sex organ that produces roe (they are sometimes referred to as the gonads or corals). Five strips or “tongues” of uni live within the structure of an urchin. They tend to be orange or yellowish, and do resemble tongues, with the consistency of a firm custard.

Due to their location sea urchins require intense labor to harvest and meticulous cleaning. They are almost always sold fresh. Fresh uni should be brightly coloured, firm, and not excessively leaking any liquids

Uni is one of the few remaining delicacies that are harvested from the wild, and are almost always hand-cut by professional scuba divers, like Chris Theodore, Sea Urchin Harvests’ expert diver. However, in some parts of Korea, this feat is handled by women, who train their whole life to dive in cold water and hold their breath for long periods of time. They are armed with only a mask and a knife. These “sea women” also known as haenyo, dive as deep as 50 feet to gather urchins, abalone, seaweed and conch to sell and help support their families.

Traditionally a Japanese delicacy, uni is still considered there to be an aphrodisiac. It has a strong ocean smell, and is thick, creamy, rich, and buttery in texture. The taste of sea urchin roe is described as briny, and the taste can vary depending on the region it was harvested, its freshness and even its gender. Its richness and strangeness is typically either loved or hated. Though it is usually delicately placed on top of sushi, uni can also be used in sauces, spread like butter, used in pastas or on rice, or treated in any number of ways.

You may love it or you could totally hate it, but if you have never tried uni, we encourage you to do so. Here at Sea Urchin Harvest we offer sea Urchin Roe that has maximum natural sweetness which is unique to the NSW South Coast. Uni, the bizarre insides of the spiky sea creature, is unique, unexpected, and extraordinary.

Sea Urchin Harvest sells premium Sea Urchin Uni & Sea Urchin Roe from Australia’s iconic east coast. All of our Uni is caught fresh and delivered fresh to you! If you have any questions about ordering Sea Urchin Uni for your commercial business please get in contact via the Contact Us Page or alternatively call us on 0414 441 136.

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