Fresh Soup Jellyfish

Fresh Soup Jellyfish

　　Fresh Soup Jellyfish is refreshing and delicious, with harmonious colors. Jellyfish is a beloved seafood delicacy among the people of Lianyungang. Also known as "white skin," jellyfish belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, class Scyphozoa, and family Rhopilematidae. It has an umbrella-like shape, with its body divided into an umbrella part and tentacle part. After being processed and pickled, the umbrella part is called "jellyfish skin," while the tentacle part is commonly referred to as "jellyfish head." In China, the export history of jellyfish skin dates back a long time. Since the 1960s, it has developed into an export commodity with volumes reaching thirty to four hundred tons.

　　The main component of a jellyfish’s body is water, and it consists of two germ layers — the outer and inner ectoderm — with a thick mesoglea layer in between. This middle layer is not only transparent but also aids in buoyancy. When moving, they propel themselves forward by expelling water from their bodies, almost like a round umbrella gliding swiftly through the water.

　　Inside the umbrella-shaped body of a jellyfish, there is a special gland that can produce carbon monoxide, causing the umbrella to inflate. However, when a jellyfish encounters predators or a severe storm, it will automatically release the gas and sink to the seabed. Once the sea surface calms down, it can regenerate gas within just a few minutes to inflate itself and float again. On the fine stems in the middle of its tentacles, there is a small ball containing a tiny statolith, which acts as the jellyfish's "ear." Subsonic waves generated by friction between ocean waves and air impact the statolith, stimulating surrounding nerve receptors. This allows the jellyfish to sense an approaching storm over ten hours in advance and suddenly vanish from the surface. Scientists once simulated the jellyfish’s sound-wave-emitting organ in experiments and found that it could detect signs of an ocean storm up to 15 hours in advance.

　　Purchased jellyfish can be preserved for years, and if stored properly, it may become even crisper and more tender over time. When preserving jellyfish, avoid exposure to sunlight, rain, or contact with fishy odors or other contaminants. For small household quantities, you can place the jellyfish in a bowl, seal the opening to prevent it from drying and shrinking. Alternatively, you can soak the jellyfish in a 20%–25% saline solution. How to choose jellyfish: When selecting jellyfish, first distinguish between dried and fresh products. Any jellyfish that feels soft and spongy to the touch, with thick flesh and high moisture content, is usually unprocessed and untreated with salt or alum. Processed jellyfish heads and skins are best when they are golden-yellow and translucent, crisp, and resilient. Jellyfish that appears dark reddish-brown, with mushy flesh, pus-like liquid, or a foul smell, is spoiled.