Rarely would anyone describe snail in beautiful words. It is usually disgusting, slimy or slow. However, once this garden pest is prepared in the kitchen, it becomes an expensive delicacy with adorable descriptions: tasty, juicy, delicious and nutritious.
Snails, in the family of molluscs, can be found in green surroundings or along the seashore, and it has been in existence from creation. According to history, in the beginning of the Middle Ages, snails enjoyed the advantage of being considered neither fish nor meat, hence making them an ideal food to be consumed during the Lenten season – 40 days of Christian prayer, fasting and abstinence before Easter.
Buying snails
If you relish snail delicacy, you can either buy live ones in the market or already cleaned and packed ones in stores in your neighbourhood.
Care must, however, be taken when buying live snails; so that you don’t buy dead ones.
To ascertain whether the snail is still alive, a snail dealer at Ipodo market in Ikeja, identified simply as Mama Ibeji, advised, “To check whether snails are alive, touch them lightly. If they respond, then you have picked the right ones.”
Also known as congo meat, snails can be pretty expensive. According to Roseline Obahor, five pieces of large live snails sell at N1,500. The same size and quantity goes for N800 in Ikorodu area.
Health benefits
However, the nutritional and health benefits of eating snails cannot be quantified. Snails are a great source of the valuable lectin, possess anti-cancer properties that fight cancerous cells and help in boosting the immune system.
“When we want to set bones, we use snail slime. It is one of the ingredients that work well, but I don’t know how it works,” revealed Elikanah Ikuesan, a traditional bone-setter in Ketu area of Lagos.
The traditional healer may not understand, but studies have shown that the snail slime is extremely rich in allantoin, collagen and elastin, which are beneficial for the treatment of skin diseases and fractures. The secretions also have a copper peptide, which is regarded as the only source of a substance manufactured for creating creams that are useful in minimising scars and wounds.
The beauty industry also benefits from snail, as the serum secreted by these snails is an excellent source of oligosaccharides that act as hydrators for the skin. When applied directly on the skin, this serum works wonders for acne, enhances natural glow and protects skin cells from environmental damage.
Nutritional values
In terms of nutritional benefit, an average snail comprises of 80 per cent water, 15 per cent protein, and 2.4 per cent of fat –primarily healthy fat.
With good source of protein, low calories and fats, snails are an ideal weight-watchers’ diet. For a 100-gramme serving of snail, you have about 90 calories.
Snail also contains calcium, iron, selenium and magnesium, even as it is a rich source of vitamins A, E, K and B12.
Preparation
To get the snail out of its shell, you have to be very careful. Some people prefer to drop it in hot water for some time before removing it with fork; but it is believed that this process can distort the flavour after cooking. You can also carefully break the shell to get it out. It is advisable to get it done in the market for free.
For convenience, you can buy packaged ones in stores; but there is need to know how long it has been refrigerated, as snails should not be in the fridge for more than two days before consumption.
Lime or alum is all you need to get the slime off your snail, and it must be cleaned very well. If you use alum, a minute of steaming will remove traces of the substances before you actually start cooking the snail.
This seafood can be eaten in various ways. The most popular way of serving snail is the peppered style, which can go with every other meal.
Peppered snail is always on the menu of most bars, as it complements a chilled bottle of beverage. Due to its stimulating effect, snails can also be served with milk.
