Local diver takes the plunge to find fresh, local seafood to cook or eat straight from the ocean

Forage & Feast is a series following B.C. diver, photographer and spear fisherman Andrew Chin as explores his home province, while reconnecting with his Asian heritage through food.

Andrew Chin, an avid spear fisherman and free diver, is using local seafood to dish up salt and pepper sea cucumber, fried prawn heads and prawn tail sashimi. 

As a second generation Canadian, Chin says he is using local ingredients to showcase Asian culture. 

"I didn't always feel proud of my ethnicity or my culture and [I] often tried to hide aspects of them to fit in" says Chin. "After spending most of my adult life outside Canada, I am now learning how to express my culture and cuisine with local ingredients our province has to offer."

Chin says all you need to harvest a sea cucumber is a B.C. fishing license and some goggles. He says that five to ten feet of water is deep enough to find one. 

According to Chin, sea cucumbers are a delicacy in Asian cuisine but utilized less in western cooking despite being readily available. He says sea cucumber can serve as a good replacement for recipes calling for squid. 

Chin chose to utilize the combination of sea salt and white pepper which is often used in certain Asian cuisine, he says. 

Catching prawns is a new experience for Chin.

"It was my first time ever going prawning. We went out on our buddy Alex's boat. He had dropped the prawn traps a day before. So, all we had to do was go pick them up and hopefully catch something," said Chin

"All of us were really excited because up to that point we were a little bit worried that there wouldn't be anything in there." 

He was thrilled to have fresh prawns, so that he could offer up sashimi tails. Chin said that prawns can only be served raw if they are fresh or labelled as sashimi grade.  As for the heads, they are best served battered and fried. 

Chin is passionate about using fresh and local food to make memories. He spent the majority of his adult years outside the country, only moving back when the pandemic hit. He specifically points to a period living in Hawaii where he would cook his catch of the day with friends. 

"The feeling of being connected to the land and our oceans and living off what they provide changed my relationship with food," he said. 

Watch Andrew Chin catch and cook:

Recipes by Andrew Chin:

Salt and Pepper Sea cucumber

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cleaned and skinned sea cucumber. Can substitute with squid if sea cucumber is not available
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground white pepper
• 3-4 bird's eye chillies
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 lime

Fried prawn heads and sashimi

Ingredients:

• Live spot prawns, or sashimi-grade prawns * Important: only eat raw prawns that are live or sashimi grade!
• Salt
• Optional: soy sauce and wasabi

For frying

• Neutral vegetable oil
• Corn starch

Directions:

1. Preheat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 350 F in a heavy bottom pot (like a Dutch oven) for frying

2. Clean the sea cucumber, cutting off both ends, removing the innards, and splitting down the middle. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the sea cucumber. Cut into bite sized pieces. If using squid as a substitute, cut into bite size pieces or into rings. Pat dry with paper towel.

3. To a large bowl, add the sea cucumber, salt, white pepper, beaten egg and ¼ cup corn starch. Mix to form a batter. 

4. Taking one piece of sea cucumber at a time, let the excess batter drain, and dredge in cornstarch. Fry in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until done and lightly golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Repeat the process with the remaining sea cucumber. 

5. Thinly slice chillies and garlic. Roughly chop cilantro. Set aside. 

6. Add 2 tbsp. of the hot frying oil to a skillet over medium high heat.

7. When hot, add the chillies and garlic, stir fry until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Add in the fried sea cucumber, and toss. Plate and garnish with cilantro and a lime wedge.

9. To prepare the prawns, twist the heads to remove from the body. Remove the shells from the tails, and devein. 

10. Lightly coat the prawn heads in corn starch and fry in the 350 F oil until done and crisp. About 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and let drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve the fried prawn heads with a lime wedge, and the prepared tails with optional soy sauce and wasabi.