Do you know that Indonesia is one of the luckiest countries in the whole world when it comes to marine production? All thanks to our strategic geographical position between 2 continents and 2 oceans, we’re blessed with an abundance of seafood, including the king itself – Lobster!
Now that you know, let’s waste no time and dive into the in-depth explanation to lobster and everything you need to know to enjoy them.
Lobster : What It Is, Taste, & More
Lobster is a type of shellfish that is typically prepared by boiling or steaming. With a size of a giant big prawn or shrimp, lobster is considered a delicacy and pricey indulgence. It is eaten in a number of different cultures and has quite interesting history.
Often described as melt-in-your-mouth, lobster has a delicious unique flavor, making it one of the more expensive seafoods. Many compare the taste of lobster to crab, but it’s far from similar since lobster has a lighter and sweeter taste with juicier texture than crab. The texture is almost shrimp-like but not as chewy.
Like most seafood, lobster is often described as having a sea smell or taste, but not overwhelming at all. Infact, a good lobster tastes fresh and highly appetizing.
Lobster In Indonesia : Types & Preferences
The natural habitat of lobster is usually around the coral of shallow waters up to 100 meters below sea level. Indonesia is one of the most ideal breeding environment for lobster, which spread all over our archipelago, including Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo, Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi, along with Maluku and Papua.
Lobster is generally divided into 2 categories :
- Freshwater Lobster : For aquarium breed and consumption. Freshwater lobster is also known as crayfish
- Ocean Lobster : For consumption only, with a few types as below :
- Mud Spiny Lobster ( Pakistan Lobster) : Has a brown color based with white stripes
- Pronghorn Spiny Lobster ( Stone Lobster) : Is dark green or black green in color with brown stripes.
- Painted Spiny Lobster (Bamboo Lobster) : Has a soft green color on its back with shade of reddish brown.
- Ornate Spiny Lobster ( Mutiara Lobster) : Has a greenish blue stripes with black and yellow stripes on the legs.
- Australian Spiny Lobster (Batik Lobster) : Color varies from brownish purple to pale.
- Slipper Lobster (Kipas Lobster) identified by its thorny body with hard shells
Spiny lobsters take about 2 years to grow to as large as 7-8 kilograms. Their length may also vary.
Best Way to Pick and Cook Lobster
Need tips on how to pick the best lobster, check out our simple tips below :
- Long full antennae is a good sign your lobster was caught fresh
- Large lobsters ( over 1kg) can be as tender and sweet as small one, size doesn’t always determine taste.
- The tail is a good indicator of freshness with firm not mushy flesh
- Fresh frozen lobster is an excellent addition to get the best bits of lobster.
Cooking lobster is an art, make sure you follow the below general guidelines when cooking :
- Use timing to get the perfect cooking result.
- Do not overcook to avoid tough and stringy meat.
- Choose a pot with a lot of room, do not crowd lobster as the heat will not circulate evenly. You need to add extra time when boiling several lobsters together
- Add a little vinegar in the boiling water to increase the intensity of the red color
- When a lobster boils it retains a lot of water. Pierce the body and tail with a knife to drain it.
- Every part of lobster can be used, including its shells as stock.
- Lobster pairs very well with butter and can be a good addition your salad.
- Other than boiling method, steaming, grilling/BBQ and poaching are all favorite ways to cook lobsters.
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